The End of Seclusion
by aznillusion183
Summary: Zoro-centric AU fic concerning the adventures of the Mugiwara Pirates in the 19th century. Update: Domestic Problems.
1. A foreigner appears?

It was the spring of 1854. Japan was under heavy military pressure by the great powers of the West to open its ports to foreign trade and influence. Negotiations under gunpoint were being held at the time, and the political tension was thick and heavy. The Americans were brashly demanding that they be allowed into the country, with similar demands being made by the British, French, and Russians. Against the most powerful navies in the world, there was little hope for the little archipelago.

Of course, very little of this affected the common folk. They were proud of their country and loyal to their emperor, but the fact that these foreigners were pushing their way into the country didn't bother them much yet. It wasn't unusual to see the occasional European pop up in the capital once in a while, even if they did mysteriously disappear days after appearing.

One group of people was interested, however. The Mugiwara Clan of the Kyoto Prefecture was very interested in the fact that the ancient blockade imposed on travel in and out of the country could be lifted.

The street was unusually quiet, even for midnight. Normally, bright paper lanterns and fluttering flags would beckon those seeking entertainment, and women would call softly from the windows while men cheerfully waved in passerby. However, tonight cannons had been heard from the distant harbors (although on such a small island, the sea was never very far). It had been a long time since violence had disturbed the area, and many were fearful that the streets would be dangerous tonight.

Still, business was business, and Black Leg Sanji was not about to let a few rounds of ammunition close his restaurant down.

Sanji stood by the door of the Baratie, striking a match against the wall to light the pipe that hung from his mouth. He inhaled deeply, looking around for any customers before sighing in defeat. It would definitely be slow tonight. He shook his head grimly, knowing that it wasn't just the cannon fire that would affect the flow of business. His blond hair stood out starkly from the sea of black and brown in Japan, and although he had been born in the country, he wasn't sure of his parentage. Even after being adopted by the Mugiwara Clan and becoming a respectable member of society, it was still unnerving for the people to consort with him or his adopted sister Nami when the penalty for harboring foreigners was death.

"Sanji-kun! Come inside, it's late," Nami called, her mikan-hued hair burning bright in the night. Sanji looked up and beamed.

"Hai, Nami-san, I'll be right up." He puffed on the tobacco that was in his pipe, making the best of it. Looking around one last time in the hopes of seeing a customer, he was about to go inside when he saw a figure stooping by the side of the narrow road, crawling towards him. Sanji shivered, wondering if it was the ghost of his neighbor's son that had died two years ago. However, he saw that the approaching figure seemed to be wearing a bright green hat, and was clutching his side in pain.

"Hey, are you alright there?" Sanji asked, walking cautiously to the figure that had just collapsed against the wall. He peered at the prone figure and gasped when he saw a small pool of blood gathering under him. "Oh, shit! You need a doctor!"

The man shuddered and looked up, grinned, and blacked out.

---

_Ugh, my side…_

"Chopper, do you think he'll be alright?" Was that a woman's voice? There hadn't been any women on his ship.

"Well, I managed the remove the bullet fragments, but he needs rest." There was a kid, too. Why was there a kid…? "Sanji, could you make some tea with these herbs? They'll help fight against infection."

"Sure thing, Chopper. Tell me if he needs any special food or anything. Maybe he's been eating something weird to get that green hair." That gravelly voice definitely ground into his head in the most unpleasant manner, and he was glad when the man's footsteps receded out of the room.

The man on the bed opened his eyes slowly, resisting the urge to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes when his body protested.

"W-where am I?" he groaned, trying to rise despite the pain.

"Don't try to get up, or you'll open up the wound I just stitched shut," Chopper said. His voice held the commanding imperiousness of a doctor, and his furry hands pushed Zoro back onto the bed. "How are you feeling?"

The man groaned. "I've been better, but I've been worse, too."

The woman with the red hair suddenly wore a very business-like expression. "Alright, then. Time to ask some questions. You're obviously not from around here, even if your face looks like you could be from Okinawa. Who are you?"

The man leaned back with a sigh. "My name's Zoro l'Ollonais." When they stared at him, he groaned and repeated himself. "I think you'd just call me Roronoa Zoro around here."

"L'Ollonais isn't a Japanese name. Where do you come from? Chopper, we could be executed just for treating him," Nami said reproachfully.

Zoro snorted. "Hrmph. It doesn't matter where I die. I was the captain of the ship _Forte Rhum_ coming along for negotiations at Kanagawa. However, apparently this country has some 'shoot first, ask later' policy about foreign ships, because we were sunk without any warning at all. My men were picked off as we tried to swim ashore, and when I saw that I was the last one left, I just started moving inland until I couldn't move anymore."

"So you're French, then," Nami's voice was flat and hostile.

"Technically, yes," Zoro responded, apparently annoyed by her hostility. "Look, I only came to support the French so I could come back home."

"Home?" Chopper asked, looking curious.

"Yeah. Japan is my home, believe it or not. That's a long story, though."

"Chopper, the tea is ready," Sanji walked in, carrying a tray that clinked with porcelain cups and a blue pot. "Oh, so he's up? I have a few questions of my own."

"Let him drink, first," Chopper interjected, scurrying over to the chef and relieving him of the tray.

"Nah, I'll answer your questions. You guys did pick me up from the street, after all. My name's Roronoa Zoro, by the way. You guys are…?"

Sanji peered at Zoro curiously. "I'm Sanji. That lovely woman sitting beside you is Nami, and the furry little doctor is Chopper. First things first, who are you?" Zoro opened his mouth, obviously not pleased at repeating himself. "I could hear about you being captain of that French ship, but there's something odd I'd like to know. What is a French naval captain doing with a set of Japanese katana? Three, as a matter of fact."

Zoro sat bolt upright, spilling the tea that sat in his lap. "My swords! Do you have them?"

Sanji jumped in shock at the reaction. "Yeah, they're leaning against the wall. Why?"

"Give them to me, and I'll answer your questions."

Zoro held the swords lovingly in his hands, drew one, and began cleaning it. The saltwater bath hadn't been good for them at all. "This is the hairy part. I was born in Japan, grew up here, and was planning on opening up my own dojo. However, when I was sailing to a competition, I found myself…er…lost." He blushed furiously. "I knew that if the government found out that I had left the country, I'd be done for, so I just kept going wherever. I eventually ended up in China and then found my way to France. I stayed there, knowing that if I stayed in a country as powerful as that then eventually I'd find my way home."

"You got lost and managed to travel halfway across the world?" Sanji looked extremely incredulous.

"It's just this thing, okay? Don't mock me."

Nami sighed. "Well, you're already here, so it won't do us any good to kick you out now that you know our names. We'll take you to meet the Head when you're feeling up to it."

"The Head?"

Chopper grinned, clapping his hands gleefully. "He's so cool, you just have to meet him!" Suddenly, Chopper did an about face. "By the way…why is your hair green?"

Zoro turned an even deeper shade of maroon. "It's just…this thing. When all there was to eat while sailing was floating kelp, something's bound to turn green."


	2. Greetings, Earthlings

"Eh?! A foreigner! Are you serious, Nami?" Bright eyes sparkled from the shadows made by a bright yellow straw hat.

"Yeah, it's pretty scary isn't it? Knowing that we're breaking the law just by helping him." The flaming hair was pulled behind one ear in trepidation.

"Sugoi…ow!" A bump rose from under the redhead's fist.

"Luffy, this is serious! I want you to go meet him, just to make sure that he's okay."

"Ehh, I'm sure he's cool. I mean, you said he had green hair right?"

"Sigh…"

---

"Oi, marimo, get up. The Head said he's coming to meet you right now," Sanji poked the snoring swordsman with his toe.

"Who's this Head you guys keep going on about?" Zoro asked grumpily, stepping out of bed and stiffly pulling the robe he was borrowing from Sanji over his bandaged frame. "Dartboard, your clothes are too tight around the shoulders."

"Shut up! If you're well enough to get up, then you can help with the chores. The whole Clan will be meeting here for dinner, so we need to cook a lot of food."

Bickering all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen, Zoro stopped and stared at the sheer volume of food that was piled on the counters. "Hey, how many people are we talking about here?"

Sanji grinned. "Just nine, including us. But I don't know if this will be enough to feed us all. C'mon, let's start peeling those radishes."

Zoro mechanically began to work, still looking shocked. There were strings of fish in deep stone boxes to keep them fresh, sacks of potatoes and onions, enough heads of lettuce to point to a massacre, jars of pickled cabbages and ginger, a giant pot of rice crackling over the fire, and what appeared to be a small herd of cows.

"Once you're done with those radishes, I need you to start washing the vegetables and peeling the potatoes." Sanji ordered, his hands moving gracefully to sprinkle a handful of spices into a pot of boiling water before moving to chop up the pile of beef. "Ugh, beef is so expensive, it's a good thing Luffy's paying for all of this."

"Luffy?" Zoro asked, roughly scrubbing the lettuce.

"Oi oi, watch it, if you do it too hard then the lettuce will bruise and rip. Gently. Good. Luffy's our Head, but we'll introduce you to him when he comes."

A couple of hours later, the meal was finally finished. The food was arranged on a giant circular table equipped with a wheel ("Usopp and Franky helped us to make it," Sanji said with a proud grin) that allowed it to spin, letting anyone around the table have access to the food.

"Want some tea?" Sanji offered the small blue pot, but Zoro shook his head.

"You don't have anything a little stronger, do you?" he asked.

Sanji frowned. "We have sake, but I don't want you getting tipsy before the meal."

Zoro scoffed. "I could drink through two barrels of hard Russian vodka in a single sitting, and still not be drunk at all." Sanji pulled a bottle of sake from a cabinet and warmed it up before handing it to Zoro.

"Thanks," Zoro said gratefully, pouring the sake into a small saucer before giving the pot back. "Are you going to drink?"

Sanji shook his head. "You may have an ungodly alcohol tolerance, but I can just barely hold my own liquor."

They sat in silence, enjoying the chirping of the birds that gradually faded away as the sky began to darken. "The cherry blossoms should be out right now," Zoro muttered, looking wistfully out the window.

Suddenly, the peace was shattered by an earth-rending roar.

"SANJI, NIKUUUUU!"

"What the hell?" Zoro leapt up, reaching towards his waist for the swords that weren't there—he had left them against the wall while he cooked.

The door was flung open as a stream of people poured in. At the head was a lean young man who jumped around like a monkey. His straw hat hung onto his head for dear life, and he exuded an aura of energy that threatened to overwhelm Zoro. A black scar slashed under one eye while unruly black hair rustled in the wind of his motion.

Behind him came an extremely harried Nami, who was followed by Chopper and a man with an absurdly long nose. After the long-nose came a man with frizzy hair wearing a formal kimono, followed by a more mature looking woman with black hair and a wild man that must have been a gangster. His hair was blue, which mollified the marimo a little.

"Sanji, the food smells great!" the man with the straw hat beamed, already reaching for a steaming steak.

"No eating until everyone's settled, Luffy," Sanji growled, his foot landing solidly on the man's hand.

Zoro found himself sitting across from the Straw Hat between the blue-haired man and Chopper. He was a little disgusted to see how half of the group seemed to be more concerned with eating as much as they could without any interest in savoring the food until he saw how the Straw Hat ate. _He's a human vacuum_, he thought. With all the rush of eating, there was little time for introductions.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time for the food to disappear, and everyone leaned back in satisfaction. Sanji brought out tea for everyone, with sake for Zoro and a bottle of dark brown liquid for the blue-haired man.

"Aaah, that was good, Sanji. Is there any dessert? Ow!" Straw Hat rubbed his head as Nami smacked him.

"Luffy! Shouldn't we get down to business?" she said, her voice dangerously low. He gulped, and started over again.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, Head of the Mugiwara Clan. Nice to meet you!" he said cheerfully, grinning widely.

"Ah…I'm Roronoa Zoro. Hajimemashite." As introductions went around the table, Zoro stared incredulously at the boy with the straw hat. _He_ was the head of their clan? He seemed so irresponsible and childish. Truly, a wild child.

"So, swordsman-san, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?" Robin, the woman with the dark hair, smiled at him over her cup. Her smile was sweet, but he felt a little cautious. She looked like a dangerous woman. Her eyes held a glimmer of intelligence that, mixed with her beauty, could make a lethal combination.

"I was the captain of the _Forte Rhum_ until my ship was sunk a few days ago. I was born in Japan but moved to France after getting lost on my way to a competition in a neighboring island." He glared at the long-nosed Usopp and Luffy as they chuckled. "Hrmph. Anyways, I've been training as a swordsman all my life, and I'm looking for a certain man. If I beat him, then I'll be able to claim the title of strongest swordsman and fulfill my dream."

"That's so impressive, bro," Franky said, his eyes watering with tears. His blue hair stood straight up in the air but quivered with emotion. "You've been traveling this entire time just to fulfill your dream…that's so emotional…"

Zoro downed the last drop of sake from the bottle. "Do you think you could tell me a little about yourselves? It's a bit odd staying with people that I don't know anything about."

Sanji and Nami exchanged glances, sharing a conversation in the span on a few seconds through sheer mental connection and eye contact.

_Can we trust him? He IS still French, even if he was born here._

…_I think we can, Nami-san, but we should wait…just to make sure._

_So be it._

"Well, Sanji and I run the Baratie restaurant," Nami began cheerfully, waving a hand around the general area.

Robin raised her eyebrows, and picked up from there. "Ah…I run a small bookstore a few streets down. It's called Ohara Books and Printing, if you'd like to stop by."

"Hahaha, you'd better take someone with you if you want to come," Usopp guffawed, "Or you'll get lost. I'm a blacksmith. My forge is closer inland than the Baratie. It's called Syrup Metals."

Zoro glared at Usopp again, who shrank back in his seat and mumbled "Sorrysorrysorry."

"I'm a shipwright. I live near the docks, and run the Water 7 Shipping Company. Most people know us as the Franky Family, though," Franky said proudly, pumping a star-tattooed arm in the air. "We're always wandering around the town so if you're in a spot of trouble, just call us out and we'll help."

Brooke grinned, his thin face looking almost skeletal in the lamplight. "Yohohoho, I manage the Rumba theater and music establishment near the center of town. We're quite well-known, don't you know! Yohohoho…"

"I'm a house doctor. I don't have a clinic yet, but I usually visit other houses when they need my services," Chopper piped up. "Soon, Franky and Usopp said they'll help me build one though~!"

"I didn't know it was possible for a tanuki to treat humans," Zoro teased, keeping his face serious.

"Shut up, you bastard! I—" Chopper yelled, but was stopped when Robin gently placed a hand on his arm. "—er, I'm just a really hairy human?"

"His mother tried to shave all that hair off of him and it grew back even more thickly," Robin said blandly. "The hooves and horns are just cosplay. It's a little hobby of his."

Zoro was skeptical, but looked at Luffy expectantly. "Me? Oh! It's my turn! My gramps is in the bakufu, so I work with him sometimes. Usually my brother and I just work with the normal police, though."

"What the—? Doesn't that mean you have to turn me in, then?" Zoro sputtered, already beginning to rise.

"Shishishi, don't worry about it," Luffy laughed lightly. "You're pretty cool. I won't turn you in. You said you were a swordsman, right? I'm sure I could get you a job with the government, if you wanted."

"Luffy, isn't avoiding the government what I should be going for, rather than running straight into their ranks? Anyway, with politics the way they are right now, someone's bound to recognize me." Zoro rubbed his head ruefully. "With green hair, it's kind of unavoidable."

"Eeeeh? Well, maybe you can open up a dojo or something. Nami, any ideas?" Luffy nonchalantly picked his nose.

"I heard that they were going to tear down an abandoned old dojo near the eastern end of the city. We could probably get the land for cheap, since it's so decrepit," Nami said, and suddenly her eyes flashed. "But you'll pay us back, won't you?"

Zoro was taken aback by the sudden gleam in her eyes and stammered, "Of course! I have my honor."

When Nami leaned back with a very satisfied smile, he knew that he had dug himself deeper than he anticipated.

"Yosha, then Zoro will get that dojo and start training students," Luffy repeated resolutely, nodding sagely. "Let's go around town! I want to show you all the cool things." Before Zoro could protest, he was already being pulled out the door.

"O-oi! Wait!" Zoro protested in vain as he managed to snag his swords on the way out. Everyone else soon followed suit.

Sanji looked around at the mess of dirty dishes, and sighed.


	3. Old men and new houses

"Neh, Zoro! Look, that meat looks so good!"

"Luffy, you're drooling on my arm."

"I, Captain Usopp, will regale you lucky listeners with tales of how I managed to repel the British warships with a mere pebble…"

"Eeh?! Really? That's so awesome, Usopp!"

The town was a bustling hive of activity; apparently, the shock of the cannons had already dissipated after nothing had happened. The rowdy Mugiwara Clan was apparently very well-known in the area, as everyone simple smiled in greeting while gripping long poles and clubs to fend off Luffy's hungry advances.

"Good evening, Luffy-san!" _Whack_. "If you're interested in buying those Sea King flanks, then bring some money!"

_Smack_. "Usopp-san, isn't it a lovely evening? Oh, Luffy-san, I have some ice for that bump on your head…"

"Oi, doesn't that hurt?" Zoro whispered to Luffy, who had been hit several times in the last few minutes when he had tried to eat the merchants' wares.

"This? Nah, I'm used to it! Gramps was always more violent anyway, shishishi."

"Swordsman-san, perhaps you should visit the owners of the old dojo," Robin suggested gently. "I believe that the landlord is moving to Roguetown and wants to sell the land quickly. Shall we?"

After walking for a few minutes, Zoro noticed that the streets in the eastern area of the city were much quieter at this time of day. Eventually, the group found themselves in front of a decrepit old establishment that threatened to collapse at the merest breeze. Rotting wooden timbers creaked, and a rusty iron gate swung back and forth of its own volition.

"Who the hell would pay money to buy this kind of dump?" Zoro muttered darkly, poking a finger into the wall. It crumbled under his touch.

"HEY! What are you ruffians doing here?" A grouchy old man ran out of the adjacent building. (It's the sword shop owner from Roguetown. Chapter 97).

"Old man, what's up with your hair? It looks weird!" Luffy smacked his leg, laughing. Indeed, the old man's hair was unusual. Two tufts of curly hair stuck out on the sides of his head, and he was bald on top save for an anchor-shaped bit of hair left in the middle. His ruddy nose made him look almost clownish. "You look a little like Buggy, you know?"

"Pah! Young people these days have no manners," the man spat out, and scowled. "What do you want?"

"You're selling this old dojo, aren't you? I'm in the market for one," Zoro said.

"Humph! I'll not sell this land to any ruffian who comes along. You think just because it's a little old that I'll sell it for cheap? Ridiculous! You're just going to turn it into some horrible bar or brothel, aren't you! I refuse to sell my precious dojo to an amateur who doesn't know a thing about swords," the old man raved, his face turning red with exertion.

Zoro looked at the building closely, his eyes sharp. "How stable is this building?"

The old man faltered. "Well, it will probably all fall down if you even open the door. I haven't even dared to enter since the walls started to fall apart."

"If I can stand in the building, jump around, and come out unscathed, will you sell it to me?" Zoro asked.

The man paled. "That's preposterous! If I agreed to that, it would be as though I killed you after you were crushed under it…"

Zoro grinned, and began to approach the dojo.

"What the heck are you doing? Get back here!" the old man shouted.

Zoro stood inside the center of the dojo. The door had fallen off its hinges, and he stood still amidst the rotted planks. Suddenly, he jumped and struck out at every wall, the floor, and the ceiling before landing lightly in the middle of the room. The building quivered and then collapsed with a mighty crash.

"Zoro!" Chopper and Usopp yelled, beginning to run into the building. They paused when they felt Luffy's hands holding them back.

"Wait. He's okay, you'll see," Luffy said calmly. He was unusually serious.

They watched in anticipation as the dust began to clear. In the middle of the rubble, they saw a figure standing upright that began to calmly walk through the mess.

Zoro grinned, his body covered in dust but otherwise intact. "There was a hole in the ceiling."

The man stared at Zoro, then grinned back at him. "It's been a long time since I've seen someone with such fortitude. Take the dojo, but don't expect to pay for it. Wait!" The man ran into his home next to the dojo and ran out with two envelopes. "This one is the deed for the land that the dojo was on. This is for the house. Take them."

"I can't possibly accept this," Zoro said in shock.

"I insist. I have a feeling that you'll be an excellent owner. My wife and I will be moving tonight, so feel free to come back anytime after today." The old man walked back into the house without a word.

"Hey bro, Usopp and I can help you fix this place up," Franky said excitedly. He was already running around with measuring tape. "The ground is pretty solid. The wood was just too old. Oy, Franky Family!" A horde of goggled men armed with hammers, saws, and wheelbarrows appeared out of nowhere. "Clean up this mess, and we'll start construction tomorrow!" They began to clean up the rubble quickly.

"T-tomorrow?" Zoro gasped. "Thanks, Franky. I don't really have a way to pay you, though."

"Don't worry about it. If you borrow money from Nami, she'll keep you in her clutches until the day you die," Usopp laughed, then looked around nervously. "She's still at the Baratie, right? She's one scary woman."

---

Back at the Baratie, Zoro grinned triumphantly as he told Nami that he didn't need her money. "The guy was just so taken aback by my charm that he—"

"Yeah, yeah…" Nami said, looking disappointed.

"You marimo bastard, you left without helping to clean up. Do you know how long it took to clean all those dishes?" Sanji said angrily, waving a towel in Zoro's face. "Clean the tables!"

---

The next morning, Zoro (led by a smirking Usopp) arrived at the construction scene. The area was already completely cleared away save for piles of wood arranged neatly near the site.

"How do you like these plans?" Franky asked proudly, shoving a pile of blueprints into Zoro's face. The building design was elaborate and managed to make the most economical use of every inch of the area.

"It looks great, Franky. What can I do to help?" Zoro looked around eagerly. It had been a long time since he had been allowed to do any physical exercise, and he was looking forward to practicing in the dojo.

"Hm…actually, just leave it to us." Franky laughed a little sheepishly. "This baby's going to need an expert touch."

Zoro shrugged, and walked off. The docks that had been empty the previous night were now crowded with fishmongers who yelled out their prices.

"Fresh sea anemone, great for pickling!"

"Baby squid, delicious when eaten live with pepper paste!"

"Luffy, get out of here! Don't make me get your grandpa again!"

Zoro whipped around when he heard Luffy whine, "But it was just one crab. The claws are so cool! Oh, Zoro!"

They wandered around the markets, looking at the shops that were just beginning to open up. It seemed as though everyone knew Luffy.

"Hey Luffy, you're the Head of your clan, right? What does that mean?"

Luffy looked thoughtful, and then responded when it appeared as though thinking was a little too difficult. "Well, I've got my Gramps and my brother, Ace. They're family. But the actual Mugiwara Clan isn't related by blood. We're nakama!" Luffy smiled, obviously very pleased with the fact. "As a clan…I guess you could say that we're looking for adventure. But it's kinda hard to do that when we're cooped in one little country. It's a big world out there, Zoro! But I'm sure you already know that." He stopped in front of the Baratie. "Are you hungry, Zoro? I'm staaarving. Sanji, food!"

---

After a day of exploring, Zoro decided to return to the dojo. _I wonder how far they've gotten?_ he wondered to himself. When he eventually arrived at the scene, he was shocked. A neat little building stood where none had been that morning. The walls were painted a calm white, and the rice-paper doors were carved with intricate patterns of dragons. The sloping roof was covered with black lacquer tiles—there was even a second story, complete with banisters. He walked past the rebuilt brick walls through a new wood and iron gate into a clearing that was lined with sakura trees and pebbled paths that went around the building.

"How do you like it?" Franky asked proudly, gripping a bottle of some dark fizzy liquid. His drooping hair shot up when he took a swig. "We've even built some nice furniture for you in the past hour. You know, just to pass the time."

Zoro was speechless. "It's…wow. It's really great."

Usopp swaggered out of the building, pocketing a handful of nails and sticking a hammer through his belt. "Ha! Great? It's sugoi! Not just sugoi, it's stupendous! The Great Captain Usopp once again has proven his mettle in construction…" He carried on, marching around the area yelling.

"Ignore that idiot. Hey, since you're not homeless anymore, why don't you have a housewarming party? It'll be super!"

Zoro thought for moment, then nodded. "Sounds like fun. Let's do this, then!"


	4. Party Hardy with the Devil

Zoro meandered through the market, clutching a small envelope with money he had borrowed from Nami.

_Oooh? So you do need a loan, huh? Sure, here's some beri. But don't forget that it's at 200% interest 3._

"That bitch…" he growled to himself, digging through a bin of potatoes. "Maybe I should have brought the ero-cook with me." He turned around and saw himself staring into a curly abyss of dizziness. "What the…?"

Sanji glared at him. "Don't you dare talk about Nami-san like that. She sent me to help you get some groceries and to cook. I don't want you to blow up your new house on your first meal. Can you even cook?"

Zoro scoffed. "Please, I lived in France for half of my life. French cuisine is weird, but I learned how to make it. How can you tell if this melon is ripe…?"

"Baka, don't try to bounce it. Tap it gently—ack, gently! You just put a hole in it!"

"Oops. What about this…"

"You idiot! Those pumpkins are…sigh…we'll take two of those, plus the one he cracked. Hm, you actually chose good seaweed. I guess you have an affinity for it, eh, marimo?"

"Shut up. Tell me if you see any of the dried stuff, that's pretty good on noodles."

"Do you think we should get some beef? Fish is way cheaper, and I don't know any farmers willing to sell us any more beef. These eggs don't look too bad, either."

Finally, the two of them returned to Zoro's house laden with a cart full of groceries.

"Oh my god, this house smells like mothballs," Sanji groaned, waving a hand in front of his face. "How are you going to live here?"

Zoro quickly opened all the windows, fanning the air to try and get rid of the smell. "Quick, do you have any citrus fruits? Oranges are good." He took the small tangerine that Sanji offered and peeled it, then set the peel on a small ceramic dish. He then took a box of matches from his pocket and struck one, setting the pile of orange peels aflame. A pleasantly sweet and even tangy aroma arose from the dish, masking the smell of mothballs.

"Phew, that's better. It doesn't smell like old people that much anymore. The kitchen isn't too bad. I guess with just two people living here, they didn't make that much of a mess." Zoro made a face. "They painted it in the weirdest colors ever."

They dragged the food into the kitchen, and Sanji gawped. "Yellow and brown paint on the walls, blue furniture, and a green marimo…how awful."

"Shut up and start cooking," Zoro snapped. "Can you clean these eels? I'm going to start making some broth. Anchovies would be good for that."

They worked in silence, apart from the occasional "Pass the salt" or "Don't put so much oil, baka." As they worked, they heard the door open and a woman's voice call out.

"Swordsman-san, cook-san? Are you here?"

"Robin-chwan! We're in the kitchen," Sanji called out happily, his eyes forming hearts as he began to cut the carrots into heart shapes.

"Ah! It smells like oranges. How pleasant. I was wondering if you would like help cleaning up the house before the party. I had some time on my hands," Robin smiled, as though she held a juicy secret in her mind. "And I suppose these many hands of mine could help."

_Many hands? She only has two,_ Zoro thought to himself. "That would be great, Robin. Thanks."

"Robin-chwan, I couldn't possibly let such a beautiful lady as yourself sully your hands with such menial labor," Sanji protested. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

Robin shook her head. "No, cook-san, it's quiet all right. I just closed up the shop, so I don't have anything else to do."

"Ah, what a wonderful woman," Sanji said dreamily after Robin had left. "What kind of a gentleman are you, anyway? To let such delicate hands touch a broom and mop is blasphemy!"

"She's a woman. Aren't they supposed to do the cleaning?" Zoro grunted, using a cleaver to chop one of the pumpkins in half. "If she offers to do it, then let her."

"You're such a caveman, seriously. Women are supposed to cook, too, but what does it look like we're doing?"

"Hey, I'm just chopping the vegetables and stuff. You're the one at the stove…heh."

"Shut up!"

---

Finally, the meal was done and arranged on a set of light green celadon dishes. As Sanji set the final garnishes on the fish and checked to make sure that the lettuce hadn't wilted, a deep rumbling could be felt through the ground.

"Earthquake?!" Zoro exclaimed in alarm, looking around for something to duck under.

Sanji groaned. "Ugh, that idiot is always overdoing it. Brace yourself. Hurricane Luffy is coming."

Zoro ran out of the kitchen and saw a hand gripping the door jamb. Ignoring Robin's cry of surprise and the…spectacle that was going on in the main room, he looked outside the door and dropped his jaw in shock. An extremely long arm stretched from down the street, and the sound of Luffy's voice was rapidly getting louder.

"SANJI, FOOOOD!"

Luffy flew by with Usopp and Chopper tucked under one arm. He crashed into the wall of the dojo, which had been plated with hard baked ceramic as though in anticipation of such a disaster. Luffy jumped back up and ran to the door.

"Oh! Zoro!" Luffy said cheerfully, waving. "The house and dojo look nice! Robin did a really good job cleaning up, huh?"

Zoro looked around and his eyes bugged out. Arms had sprouted out of all surfaces, armed with cleaning rags and buckets of water. They were frozen in shock, as was Robin who was leaning unsteadily against the wall. When Sanji caught her, she relaxed and the arms set their cleaning supplies down before disappearing.

"Luffy! You know you're not supposed to stretch—oooh, crap," Nami ran into the room, huffing with exertion. "What about Robin…?"

"He saw, Nami-san," Sanji said solemnly. He reluctantly let Robin stand on her own when she shook her head at him and stood back up. "What do we do now?"

"Luffy, how could you! What if everything was ruined because you were too impatient to just walk to this place?" Nami scolded Luffy. "It was hard enough convincing the townspeople that you guys were okay, but now this foreigner knows."

"Okay, you guys, this is just a trick, right? It's not possible for people to stretch like rubber. Or for hands to start sprouting like plants," Zoro said, looking around desperately for some sort of reason as to why these phenomena were occurring. When no one named Houdini confessed, he sighed. "Why don't we sit down to eat and talk about it? I don't think anything else could shock me today."

"I believe it is time to tell Zoro-kun the truth," Brooke walked in with Franky, swinging his cane slowly over one arm. "But he's right. Let us eat!"

They settled down at a cramped table (which consisted of several boxes attached to the small table that came with the house). They were silent, save for the clinking of utensils and the smacking noises that came from the more voracious eaters. When the last morsel of eel was snatched up by a quick pair of chopsticks and the last grains of rice were scooped up by a scraping spoon, they settled down with a pot of tea and hours to burn.

"So, why don't we start with the most pressing question that must be on your mind, Zoro-kun? Why does Luffy have a rubber body, and why can Robin summon those arms of hers?" Brooke sipped his tea calmly, and then belched loudly. "Oops! Excuse me!"

"I'm a rubber man," Luffy said simply, stretching his cheek out and letting it snap back.

"Yeah, that really answers my question, doesn't it?" Zoro said sarcastically, putting his saucer aside and drinking sake straight from the bottle. _Damn, it's times like these that I miss those raw European spirits. Sake's good, but the alcohol content isn't that great._

Nami firmly placed one hand on the side of Luffy's head and pulled his ear with the other.

"You see," she said calmly, ignoring Luffy's pained protests, "there are these special fruits that pop up every once in a while all over the world. They're pretty rare, but you might have heard of them—they're called Devil Fruits in Japan. Akuma no mi. Luffy's entire body can stretch and expand and such because of the Gomu Gomu no mi."

"Nami, you're stealing all my thunder! Look, Zoro, I can even do this!" Luffy plugged his nose and mouth with his fingers and crossed his eyes in concentration. His body inflated like an enormous balloon. "Cool, huh?"

"What about you, Robin?" Zoro turned to Robin, who had calmed down after Zoro had caught her using her powers. "It seems pretty risky to use those hidden powers when I'm in the next room."

"I had put an eye on you in the kitchen, but you ran out before I could conceal myself," Robin admitted. "Because of the Hana Hana no mi, I can reproduce any of my body parts on any surface that I can see." She sprouted multiple arms and eyes on the table, and several mouths spoke. "It's quite convenient, but anything that happens to these limbs will happen to my main body."

Zoro shook his head in disbelief. "It's like I'm living in a legend or something. Anyone else hiding anything?"

Chopper quivered, then stuck his hand in the air. "Umm, Zoro, I ate a Devil Fruit too. I ate the Hito Hito no mi when I was a reindeer, so now I can go between being a human and a reindeer. I'm not really a hairy human," he said sheepishly. "I'm sorry for lying!"

Zoro rubbed Chopper's head absentmindedly. "It's alright, I suppose you had a good reason to hide it from me. By the way, what is that reason? I still don't see why you had to hide it from me. It's not illegal to be in possession of a Devil Fruit power, is it?"

Nami sighed heavily. "It's not just that. Part of the reason that the government controls the barrier around Japan is to control the flow of the Devil Fruits. Most of the fruits are seized by the government when they're found, and anyone found with an ability is 'requested' to join the government or else be permanently exiled. Exile, of course, just means death."

Franky took a swig from his bottle of cola. "Ah! That's the stuff. The locals don't make it here, so I gotta brew it myself. It gets to be pretty troublesome when those government dogs come sniffing around—something about it being illegal to make your own cola without a license—but they never find the source of the explosions." He shook the last drops of cola down his throat. "Anyways, back to the topic. The Kyoto Prefecture is a sort of shelter for Devil Fruit users. Since it's a cultural capital, there are too many weirdoes for the government to keep track of. If someone comes along who happens to be able to stretch or grow extra hands, then hey, they could just say that it's part of a stage act or something. Brooke's very helpful with covering it up."

"Coincidentally, I also have an ability. I ate the Yomi Yomi no mi. I actually died quite a long time ago, but my soul returned and revived my body. The reason I may seem so ghastly is because my body started to decompose! Yohohoho!"

"Oi, should you really be laughing about that? It sounds kind of disgusting," Zoro asked uneasily. "Well, it doesn't matter, I guess. You already died. Is that it?"

Sanji came out from the kitchen laden with delicately sliced melon and oranges arranged on a plate. "Eat well, you shit heads, fruit is expensive at this time of year. Ladies, I have pastries if you want. Now, you want answers, marimo? I think we can trust him with _that_, Nami-san."


	5. Negative nostalgia

A/N: Hm, I wonder if there's going to be any pairings? Perhaps Sanji/Nami, Zoro/Sanji, Zoro/Luffy, Franky/Robin, Luffy/Nami…who knows? I'd like to hear some input about what you're most interested in seeing.

---

Nami folded her hands together and took a deep breath. "As I'm sure you're all very well aware of, foreign powers have been recently fighting to open Japan up to trade and commerce, as well as travel. For the past few centuries, Japan has severely limited international trade. I believe only China and the Netherlands are allowed to trade with us now at Nagasaki." She sipped her tea slowly, savoring the light flavor on her tongue. "However, things aren't going too smoothly now."

Zoro popped the cork stopper out of another bottle of sake and took a deep draught. Without all this alcohol in his system, he'd probably be having a seizure on the floor with the ridiculous nature of this conversation. "What does that have to do with the Mugiwaras?"

Luffy put his cup down firmly on the table with a _clunk_. "It's boring! Living on the same little set of islands gets pretty old pretty fast. The laws are just too restricting around here. There's one group of people that has the most freedom, though. Pirates! Out on the open sea, we could use our abilities or travel however we wanted to."

"…pirates? As in, 'yarhar matey, avast!' and all that?" Zoro said in disbelief. A sudden image of parrots, peg legs and hooks floated through his head.

"You would do well to take us seriously, swordsman-san," Robin said. "Ever since the execution of Gol D. Roger and his last proclamation, the number of pirates has risen all over the world. People have even been daring to try and escape the country, although few ever make it out. If Britain and France keep making such a fuss over this nation, one ship leaving the country is much less likely to be spotted."

"I remember my sensei telling me about that," Zoro said, looking thoughtful. "Something about how all the wealth of the world is open for the taking to anyone willing to go out and get it. Is your goal really that simple?"

Nami scowled darkly. "We're breaking the law here, Zoro! Not just Japanese law, but internationally the police will be after us! The gains are pretty generous, though," she said, her eyes shining with greed.

Usopp tapped his nose knowingly. "A loyal merchant's daughter has even promised to give us a ship. She's a real beauty, you know." He blushed. "The ship, I mean. Not that Kaya's not beautiful too, but haha you know what I mean…" His voice trailed off as he looked into the distance with a dreamy expression on his face.

"So, marimo…now that you know the truth, what do you say?" Sanji asked as all the Mugiwaras turned to look at Zoro head-on. "Do you think that you'd be able to leave the peace of this town and become a pirate, risking injury and death for wealth, fame, and power?"

"Uh, you do realize that I just received a house and a dojo for free, don't you?" Zoro asked, looking at them incredulously. "Who would be fool enough to leave that for a life of crime?" When Luffy looked at him in disappointment, he grinned. "But I do owe you guys a helluva lot for saving me and helping me get back on my feet. I won't become the world's greatest swordsman by teaching snot-nosed brats all day, either. Count me in."

Luffy whooped gleefully. "Yosh! It's all settled, then!"

Nami banged her fist on the table. "Luffy! Don't forget, we won't be able to actually leave until all our preparations are done. We still need to make sure that all our ends are tied up, and that no one gets in trouble for being associated with us. There's a ship to stock, ammunitions to be bought, police to be avoided…your grandpa is in the bakufu, right? How are you going to get around him?"

(A/N: The Bakufu = military government.)

Luffy laughed. "Ace managed to escape with the Whitebeard Pirates. I doubt he'll miss another grandson, right?"

"Uh, it doesn't really work that way, Luffy. He'll probably keep an even closer eye on you," Usopp said, looking a little worried now.

"Eeh?! Really?"

---

Gradually, the Mugiwaras left Zoro's new home one by one. Usopp ran off to check on the ship's status with Kaya, followed by Chopper who was currently nursing the frail young woman back to health. Brooke walked out humming a tune to himself, saying that the red-light district was having a special on panty peep-shows. Franky left with Robin and all the empty bottles, saying "Time to make some more cola!" Nami and Sanji went back to the Baratie after helping to clean up.

Zoro leaned back and looked out the window at the dojo next door. He drifted off, not realizing that someone was still sitting in a dark corner of the room.

"_Sensei! You must be giving Kuina special training, right? There's no way she could be so strong!" Zoro squealed in indignation, nursing a large bump on the top of his head after his 1999__th__ loss._

"_No, Zoro. She just happens to be exceptionally talented. She can even beat the adults at this dojo."_

"_Don't lie, sensei! I can, too… damnit, Kuina! I challenge you to another fight!"_

_Three minutes later, he was back on the ground clutching his head._

"_That's my 2000__th__ victory, Zoro. How could a man be so weak?"_

"Kuina…" Zoro muttered under his breath. His eyes felt strangely moist, and he gritted his teeth until those drops of water that were definitely _not _tears receded.

"Neh, Zoro? Who're you talking to?" Luffy walked over sleepily, still chewing on a piece of fish he had saved somewhere.

"Luffy!" Zoro jumped up, his swords already bristling and at the rubberman's throat. "Don't do that!" He sheathed his swords, shaking out his jumpiness.

"Ahahaha, Zoro. I didn't feel like going home. Makino said that if I keep asking the townspeople for food, then she'll go crazy with all the complaints. Do you mind if I bunk out here for the night?"

Zoro gazed at Luffy, wondering how such a childish kid could be the head of the Mugiwaras. Someone like Franky or Robin seemed much more appropriate. "Sure, go ahead. I was thinking about sleeping at the dojo tonight, anyway. If we're going to be leaving anytime soon, I want to spend some time there."

The dojo was quiet and clean. Zoro breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of new wood and the ocean breeze. The rooms were dark and sparsely furnished, and he explored the rooms looking for a good place to bunk down, followed by Luffy. He opened a door and found himself staring down a deep cellar that appeared to be a storage room of sorts. A rush of memories coursed through his mind. _Stairs. Whet stone. Kuina…fell…she's dead…Kuina!_ He staggered back, slamming the door shut. He couldn't stay here.

"Let's just sleep at the house, Luffy. It'll be more comfortable there."


	6. Gingerbread man

A/N: Let's just assume that Franky built the Thousand Sunny as the ship they're going to use, but Kaya's family financed it.

---

Zoro stared through the skylight in the ceiling. The waxing moon was bright in the sky, and the stars illuminated the darkness like fireflies. The futons were soft and the room was relatively spacious, and even Luffy's snoring was not too distracting. Zoro still couldn't bring himself to sleep, though.

_It's been years since Kuina's death, yet when I come back to this country it haunts me more persistently than ever,_ he thought gloomily. _Maybe it's a good thing that I'm not going to be staying here. The dojo will have too many reminders._

Not long afterwards, a second roaring set of lungs joined Luffy's snoring.

---

"Oi, wake up, you bastards."

Zoro cracked one eye open blearily. "You ero-cook, your stupid curly eyebrow is the last thing I want to see first thing in the morning. What the hell are you doing in my house?"

Sanji flicked a match against the wall and lit his pipe. "I brought breakfast for the two of you. C'mon, Chopper has some news for us." Sanji kicked Luffy awake before retreating back downstairs.

Zoro stumbled down the stairs, supporting the still-lethargic Luffy over one shoulder. "Chopper, this news had better be really important," he growled, plopping down onto a cushion on the floor. The blue-nosed reindeer nodded emphatically.

"Last night after I got home, there was a big group of bakufu officers waiting at my house. They asked me all these questions about whether I had treated anyone that wasn't from this town in the last few days. I think they were looking for you, Zoro!" He pulled a crumpled sheet from his medical bag. "Look, they even have a bounty on your name!" The bounty poster had a painting of his face on it that must have been a description of him on his ship. There was blood running down his face and he looked absolutely ticked off on the poster. Dangerously so. There was even an artistic rendition of the smoke and dust rising from the flaming ship. His name was written in French, English, and Japanese under the name, along with a number.

"Sixty million beri? What the hell! I didn't even _do_ anything except drag my sorry ass out of the water," Zoro protested, wringing the unfortunate bounty poster. Suddenly, he looked extremely pleased and almost preened himself like a proud rooster. "But then again, I guess the government does recognize how strong I am. If all I had to do was enter the country to become such a threat, then that's saying something…fufufu…" He chuckled menacingly to himself. "How was that? Did it send shivers down your spine?"

"Zoro, you're a dork," Luffy stated while shoving rice into his mouth. "But now that Zoro has a bounty, it's not fair that I don't have one, either."

"H-hey, I don't want to hear that from you!"

The sound of running feet drew their attention to the door. Usopp ran in with a man who had a vaguely ovine appearance. "You guys, it's terrible! The Marines from the bakufu have been looking for you, Zoro! Plus, they've somehow caught wind of our own plans. We've got to get ready to leave, fast! Merry here said that the ship's all ready to sail, so we just need to stock it and go. Franky's already at the docks loading the spare lumber."

Luffy jumped up, grabbing his straw hat from the table. "I'll go keep Gramps busy! You guys get ready to go, okay?" He leapt out the door and ran. The sound of tapping on the roof indicated that he had jumped onto the rooftops and was running that way.

"Crazy kid…" Zoro muttered under his breath. "Well, ero-cook? Shall we go stock that ship?"

---

Zoro's muscles bulged as he strained to pull the last load from the little Mini Merry II that bobbed in the water beside the giant brigantine sloop. "Does Nami really need these mikan trees on the ocean?" he huffed grouchily, gently placing the trees against the railing.

"Zoro, how on earth did you survive sailing all these years? Without a fresh source of Vitamin C, you could get scurvy," Nami said, tenderly clipping the bruised leaves off of the trees. "Sanji, do we have enough food to last for at least four weeks? You never know what might happen between here and the next stop. It's not that far, but if the bakufu are on our tails then we might not be able to stop for supplies."

"Hai, Nami-san! Don't worry, I made sure that the baka-marimo carried all the produce he could to the ship. Is everyone here?"

Nami looked around, and slapped her forehead. "Ugh, where's Luffy?"

Zoro looked around in alarm. "Geez, that guy…he said he was going to go hold off his grandpa, but I haven't seen him since." He stopped short as he heart a large commotion getting louder. "This uneasy feeling in my gut that I get when I hear a ruckus getting louder seems strangely familiar…"

"FRANKY, START MOVING! I'LL BE ABLE TO BOARD, BUT JUST LEAVE NOW!!"

"That _idiot_," Franky groaned, running up the stairs to the helm. Once the anchors were hoisted up, he began to rapidly spin the wheel until they were on a direct course away from the island.

"Luffy! I trained you to be a strong officer of the bakufu! How could you become a PIRATE?!" a deep voice roared. "Get back here, you rogue! I'll teach you to try and break the law!" The bearded bakufu officer ran with a whole battalion of government officials behind him. Monkey D. Garp was not a happy man at the moment, as was evidenced by the cannonballs he held in both hands.

"Gomu gomu nooo…"

"Oh no you don't! Don't even _think _about—" _Boom. _There went one cannonball.

"…Pistol!"

"LUFFY!"

Back on the Thousand Sunny, Zoro looked and saw a hand hanging onto the railing for dear life.

"Uh…should I be worried about this?" he asked, pointing down. His answer came when the rest of the crew dove out of the way, and he began to run to the side about a second too late.

"Yosh!" Luffy crashed into Zoro with a mighty collision of limbs and knocking of heads. "Alright, Franky, let's go!"

"Luffy, I'll give you one last warning!" Garp roared, hefting his remaining cannonball in one hand and taking aim. "If you don't stop now, I will be forced to arrest you and your friends!"

"Hey, Gramps!" Luffy yelled, waving one hand cheerfully. "Sorry to disobey you, but…" He took a deep breath. "I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!"

---

A/N: Don't worry, kiddoes. It doesn't end there.


	7. Bonjour, Commodore

"Ready, you guys? Hold tight, she's gonna blow," Franky said with a cocky grin. "Coup de Burst!"

The Thousand Sunny seemed to explode with the force of its departure. The town disappeared instantly in a cola-scented rush and they went flying into the air.

"Wheee! This is awesome, Franky!" Luffy cheered, stretching from the mast. The ocean spray evaporated quickly in the sun and the rush of the wind whistled in their ears. The main-sail's Jolly Roger grinned just as widely as Luffy was as it flapped in the wind.

"Franky, what are we going to do when we land?!" Usopp asked hysterically, clutching the railing for dear life. The answer came when the ship landed with a mighty crash.

"Don't worry, this baby's built to withstand much more than that little bump!" Franky said, patting the ship proudly. "What do you think, you guys?"

"Lion-chan is certainly quite majestic," Brooke mused, tapping the deck firmly with his cane. Ignoring Franky's protests of "It's the Thousand Sunny! Not 'lion-chan!'" he turned and gazed at Luffy. "What's our course?"

Luffy looked at him quizzically. "Course? What do you mean?"

Nami sighed. "Brooke, if you want to know about navigation or where we're going, then just ask me. I think he'd be content to sail around aimlessly until the Marines caught him. Even if we're out of the reach of the bakufu, they Marines will still be on our tails." She looked at the small compass strapped to her wrist carefully before snapping out instructions. "Pull the main-san thirty-five degrees southward! No, Zoro, that's west…theeere you go. Baka. We're lucky that there's an easterly wind, so once you hoist the sails just stand by!"

The sea was calm, for typhoon season would not come for many months still. The Mugiwaras ran about busily storing their belongings in the proper receptacles and exploring the depths of the ship. Zoro milled about, unsure of what to do with himself—besides his swords and materials for their care, he had brought little clothing or items of personal value—until he found that the grassy lawn on the deck was extremely comfortable. He settled in a patch of shade and promptly began to snore.

"Tch, lazy bastard," Sanji growled, carefully placing one of Nami's mikan trees in a plot of soil that had been specially put aside for that purpose. He patted the soil lovingly before moving on to the next tree. "He's definitely on dish duty tonight."

The next few hours passed uneventfully, save for when Luffy got into Usopp's store of inventing materials. He had chewed up a handful of Tabasco Boshi rounds and ran around the desk, before jumping into the ocean in desperation to quench the fire in his mouth.

"Luffy, you freaking idiot! Don't go into the water, you'll drown!" Nami yelled, looking around desperately. "I'm not strong enough to bring him up. Someone else has to bring him back!"

"Ugh, what's all the ruckus?" Zoro stood unsteadily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with one hand. He looked into the water and saw the struggling rubberman. "What, he can't swim? What kind of idiot goes sailing without knowing how to swim?" Without waiting for an answer, he stripped off his shirt and dropped his swords on top of his boots. He then dove gracefully into the water, landing right next to the quickly sinking hammer. After pulling him back up and climbing on board, he received another lesson in Devil Fruits from Robin.

"Few people can really claim to know anything about the Devil Fruits. The way that they affect a human's body is inexplicable, and only one scientist has managed to really find any answers through research. They say that the Fruit is a physical manifestation of the Sea God's own powers, and that he reclaims you when you enter the water. In other words, a person with abilities finds him or herself unable to swim. Kairoseki has the same effect." She waved one hand and a row of arms grew on the ship, which proceeded to bring two towels to them. "Perhaps you'd like to dry off, swordsman-san? You wouldn't want to catch pneumonia."

Zoro jumped when he saw her use her ability; it was still disconcerting. Zoro looked in concern at Luffy, who was still lying on the deck. "Shouldn't we resuscitate him first?"

Chopper shook his head. "He doesn't seem to have swallowed much water. The ocean just has a general draining effect on our bodies. He should be okay in a few minutes."

The next few hours passed by without much mishap. Zoro sat in the crow's nest, absent-mindedly lifting free weights. Due to the afternoon heat and his bath in the ocean, he had stripped himself bare save for his haramaki and pants. As he gazed at the turquoise waters of the ocean where they met the powder blue of the sky, he saw a tiny dot appear on the horizon. "Hey, I see something other there," he announced through the open hatch.

"Is it an island or a ship?" Nami asked, taking out a spy glass and looking through it.

His sharp eyes locked on the object and he appraised it. "It looks like a ship. A big one, too," he said. "Oh crap…"

"What seems to be the matter?" Brooke asked.

"The sails are unmarked, but some of the sailors are wearing the uniform of the bakufu. There's no way they could have followed us this quickly, is there?"

"There's no other way, then," Luffy said. His face was shadowed by the brim of his straw hat, and he pushed it back with one hand. "We'll just have to take them head-on!"

Zoro slapped a hand to his forehead. "I'm not saying that we probably couldn't mop the floor with them, but wouldn't it be better to stay away from them just in case?"

Luffy scoffed. "Pshaw, if we can see them then they've probably already spotted us. Let's go!"

The tides and winds were in their favor, but the other ship seemed to be going in the same direction and it took hours to reach it. Everyone soon grew bored of watching the miniscule dot on the horizon grow larger and had returned to their previous activities. The sound of Zoro snoring lustily droned on. When they finally did reach the ship, they were met with a rather unpleasant sight.

The ship did indeed have bakufu members on it. The many sailors that began to swarm onto the deck were all garbed in the dark blue and white-striped uniforms that were typical to most European maritime vessels. The unpleasant bit? They were all armed to the teeth—mostly with pistols, but there were also many bristling swords and bayonets held at the ready. The milling seamen suddenly snapped to attention as a figure stepped down from the quarter deck. They lined up smartly and shock still, which was quite a feat on the rocking ship. The man that appeared was tall and well-built; his commanding stature instantly let the Mugiwara crew know that this was definitely the guy running the show here. His cigar-lined jacket was opened to the flapping wind, revealing a bare chest over the standard dark blue slacks of a Marine official. Behind him walked a stately young woman, her hand resting on the hilt of a katana with an ease that hinted at great skill. She adjusted her glasses carefully as the two of them approached the deck of the ship.

"Je n'ai jamais vu ce drapeau avant," the man said, speaking around two cigars resting on his lips. "Tashigi, venir. Siège a envoyé de nouveaux rapports?"

The woman carefully placed her dark hair behind one ear and looked carefully at the Mugiwara crew.

"Je pense qu'ils sont…japonais? Oui, japonais."

"Oy, what's going on?" Zoro said, rubbing one eye sleepily. He had just risen from his nap and was not too happy to see a strange ship looming menacingly.

The woman jumped when she saw him. "Commodore! Regarder!" she said shrilly, pointing straight at the green-haired man. "Cette cheveux verts…peut-il être?" She blushed as she saw Zoro standing in all of his shirtless glory.

Zoro nearly fell over when he saw the woman. "You!" he yelled, looking around desperately for somewhere to hide. When there was no convenient method of escape, he continued. "You're that copycat!"

The woman glared at him, and spoke. "Zoro l'Ollonais, you despicable man! How could you be consorting with pirates?" Her Japanese was flawless, and it was apparent that she was fluent in the language. "Commodore Smoker, I believe these pirates are Japanese. This man is none other than the famous Demon of the Forte Rhum. I believe the last time we lay eyes on him was in Paris last summer."

Commodore Smoker puffed thoughtfully, and said, "L'Ollonais, eh? I remember you. You killed an entire crew of Italian pirates who tried to come up the Seine River, but spared one man because he fought 'with honor' or some bull like that. I heard that your crew departed for Japan as soon as rumors about the Japanese blockade being lifted were spread. What the hell are you doing, man?" His gravelly voice was accented very slightly by his native French, and it was surprising how he managed to speak with those cigars constantly in his mouth.

Zoro shrugged. "Here, they call me Roronoa. My men and ship were sunk when we tried to enter the harbor, and I was picked up by these fellows here." ("And the ladies," Sanji reminded him) "What are you doing here? I know that they didn't just call someone like you all the way to Japan for something like diplomacy."

Smoker barked out a laugh. "You're not going to see me in those meetings with that figurehead of an emperor of theirs. Things are moving in the world…Roronoa. The most prominent countries are starting to band together. They've formed this thing that they call the World Government." He snorted. "In my opinion, they're just trying to control the world a little more."

"Smoker-san! (A/N: I just can't see Tashigi calling Smoker 'monsieur.' San is much more…Tashigi) What would you do if our superiors saw you saying things like that? Roronoa, France has joined the World Government. All of the great navies of the world are being mobilized, but we cannot say for what yet." Suddenly she stopped herself. "That's beside the point! Smoker-san, these people are pirates. We received orders…"

Smoker growled, "To hell with the orders. Listen, Roronoa…something is happening with the world. If you come across any other ships, you better be wary. Bounty hunters aren't the only ones actively pursuing you now." He turned, and waved a hand for the sailors to stand at rest. "As for this meeting…it never happened. I still remember what you've done for France the past few years. If we ever chance upon each other again, remember that I will have to take you and your crew into custody. Understood?"

Luffy leapt up. "As if I'll let you do that! If you're going to threaten my nakama, then I'll just have to take you out!"

"Luffy, stop! He's not the kind of enemy you can fight—" Zoro yelled, running to restrain his captain.

Luffy pulled one arm back and shot it forward, howling, "Gomu gomu no piston!" His arm stretched—much to the horror of the French sailors—and hit Smoker square in the back. The impact was enough to send any man flying.

That is, if it was a normal man he was punching.

Smoker's body fell away under Luffy's fist in a cloud of smoke, and he turned with a bored look. "Who's this man, Roronoa?"

"He's my captain," Zoro groaned.

Smoker examined Luffy carefully, his body rematerializing in the air. "Kid…if that's all you got, then you better prepare yourself for a nasty shock. I'll let that one go, but don't think you'll be so lucky next time. Men, back to your stations! We're heading out to Edo." Slowly, the French vessel turned around the Thousand Sunny and continued on its way.

"What the hell was that?" Sanji said, rubbing his eye in disbelief.

Zoro sighed, plopping down on the floor against the wall. "Smoker has an ability. He explained it to me, but I didn't really understand it at the time. I think his is what you'd call a Devil Fruit ability, but he's the only one I've seen with a skill like that. Of course, I've never seen anyone with skills like yours, either. But when a guy's strong enough to strangle you from a hundred feet away, you don't find yourself asking too many questions." Zoro looked sheepish as he continued, "I tried to cut him up when I first met him. That probably wasn't the best decision of the century."

Robin shook her head in disbelief. "If I may explain, swordsman-san? I believe cook-san could use an explanation as well…You know that there are different kinds of Devil Fruits, correct? Luffy and I have Paramecia-type abilities, as does Brooke. Our bodies can be manipulated in different ways, but are essentially still human bodies. Doctor-san is a Zoan-type; he can turn into an animal outside of his species. However…" she paused, shaking her head in disbelief, "The Commodore must possess one that is of the incredibly rare Logia. I myself have never seen a Logia myself, but I have read accounts of those who have possessed those abilities."

"But what in the world is it, Robin?" Nami asked, looking bewildered. "It's one thing to be able to stretch, but to turn into smoke? That…that's even more absurd than the idea of a rubber man!"

"Basically, Logia-type users are elementals. They are impervious to physical attacks, and can go to and from human to elemental shape at their own whims. The one that the Commodore must have eaten is the Moku moku no mi."

Luffy jumped up, with a "I've just reached an epiphany!" expression stamped on his face. "Oooh! I know that those are! When Ace visited last time, he could turn into fire! It was sooo cool!"

"Baka, your brother turns into fire and that's your only response?" Sanji said, planting his foot firmly on top of Luffy's head. "But more importantly…Zoro." The chef looked seriously at the swordsman, his eyebrow bobbing.

"Who was that babe behind that smoke bastard?"


	8. Annyounghasaeyo

A/N: Just wanted to say thanks to Doom for reviewing so regularly!

Chapter's a little short today. Sorry, college applications still haven't been turned in yet!

---

"Her?" Zoro snorted, looking askance. "She's Ensign Tashigi. It turns out that she's Japanese, but her family's been in France for generations practicing at a dojo they founded ages ago. She's probably the most infuriating woman I've ever met, and that's saying something." He shuddered a little, pulling his shirt back on. "She gives me the willies."

"Mellorine~!" Sanji sang, dancing around happily.

"Idiot…"

"What did you say, marimo?!"

"How did you meet her, though?" Nami asked curiously.

Zoro reddened at the question. "We were supposed to complete a training exercise together at Burgundy. It turns out that she got lost and the counterfeiters we were supposed to be tracking escaped. She didn't have a very good opinion of me after that."

"Hey bro, are you sure that she was the one who got lost?" Franky sniggered.

---

The Sunny continued to bob along in the water, and the night eventually fell with the moon high in the sky. Zoro looked up at the darkness blanketing the celestial ceiling and huffed a small sigh. The air was warm and the crow's nest's windows were flung open in an attempt to catch a small breeze. He stretched, looking at where Smoker's ship had disappeared hours ago. _If the authorities have even managed to convince Smoker to get his stubborn ass out of France to go raring all over the world, what other monsters will be coming…?_

Sanji stuck his head into the crow's nest, followed by a tray laden with glasses and a plate of chilled fruit. "Wake up, marimo, it's my shift now. Want to share a drink before you go snoring off again?" He had brought sliced melons from the icebox and cold barley tea on ice. Zoro grunted agreeably and took the tray from the blond as he closed the door behind him.

"Eh, Zoro," Sanji said, sipping his tea noiselessly, "What's the world like?"

Zoro looked at him quizzically with a piece of melon hanging from his mouth. He chewed it carefully while he thought about the question. "It's big, but coming straight from Japan, it'll seem even bigger at first. There are strange people out there," he mused, thinking back to Tashigi. "The climates are unlike any you'll see on Japan, where there are mountains of ice and deserts that could suck the moisture from your both with a single breath. There's even a man strong enough to hold the title of strongest swordsman without dispute. It's kind of funny, though…I've travelled for about ten years but, aside from Smoker, you Mugiwaras are the only ones I've seen with those Devil Fruit abilities."

Sanji puffed on his cigarette pensively. "Our histories are a little unique, you know. You just happened to land in the most ability-concentrated region of Japan, you know? Call it luck or misfortune, but it's a good thing you didn't land in Edo."

"Glad I came then, eh?" Zoro teased cheekily, pointing a toothpick at the cook. "Maybe it was fate…"

_---_

They had been sailing for a few days, and the shifting winds often put the Thousand Sunny off its course. Nami was going insane, for even if she was skilled enough to predict the weather changes, the crew was unaccustomed to sailing for the most part and could not respond adequately to her navigational needs.

"Damnit, Luffy, I said _twenty_ degrees starboard! I don't even think you're pulling the right sails! Zoro, wake up, we'll never get this done if you don't help. Augh! Sanji-kun, do _not_ trim my trees into heart shapes!" she yelled, pulling her hair. "Look, if we can pull ourselves together for a few more hours, it shouldn't take long to reach the nearest land mass. There's a peninsula to the west called Korea. Luffy's already eaten his way through our supplies, so we'll have to get more food. And," she growled, "a storage area with a lock."

---

"Land-ho!" Luffy yelled, jumping down from the crow's nest. "Look, Nami! Land!"

"I heard you the first time, Luffy," Nami said, rubbing her ear where he had yelled into it. "Hm, that's a bit odd. The peninsula should be to the north, but this is to the south of us. Maybe it's an island that isn't on my charts? Well, land is land. Let's get ready to enter the port."

The chilly sea air was much warmer in this area and the sun beamed down from the clear blue sky. The atmosphere was even tropical, and the white sand beaches appealed enormously to the Mugiwara clan. As the ship slowly glided into the harbor, they were met with the cheerful eyes of the locals who waved at the approaching vessel before returning to work.

"Don't you think it's a little strange that these people would treat us so casually?" Franky mused, stretching his arms back lazily. "We even have our Jolly Roger waving in the wind, but they don't look threatened at all."

_Splash!_ The twin anchors fell into the water and a path was set down on the docks. The rambunctious crew tumbled out of the ship and stood around for a moment, unsure of whether it was safe or not. Even Luffy seemed sobered by the suspiciously nonchalant actions of the locals.

"Hey, Nami…" he said seriously, putting his hands in his pockets. "Have you got any money? I can't buy any meat without money!"

_Thwock. _"Here I thought you were cautious but you were just being an idiot," Nami said in exasperation. "Excuse me, where are we?" she hailed to passing girl who was running by with a crate of mussels cradled in her arms.

The girl set down her load and brushed her dark hair out of her face. Her face was leathered by long exposure to the sun, and she was built like a rock. "Here? Oh! You must be newcomers! Welcome to Jeju-do! Please, come with me—I'm sure the townspeople would be very happy to meet you." As she walked off in the opposite direction, she continued, "By the way…who are you?"

As introductions went around, Zoro examined the area with sharp eyes. Most of the locals seemed to be busy peddling their wares to shoppers; the goods consisted mostly of produce plucked from the sea. The smell of fish was carried away by the sea breeze, and both men and women were haggling good-naturedly. Everything seemed to fit with the whole sea-side town image and economy.

"My name is Roronoa Zoro," he said, looking at the girl square in the eye. "And you are? I don't believe you've told us your name yet."

She smiled. "My name is Ms. Moon-dae." (Yes, this could be a real Korean name. Although I'm almost sure that it means something else…hm…chim-dae is bed…moon is door…er, back to the story!)

Luffy grinned and shook her hand firmly, "Oooh, Ms. Monday? Nice to meet you!"

---

A/N: Ms. Monday, huh? Ring any bells?


	9. Party like a rockstar

A/N: Ah, sorry for not updating regularly! The next couple of chapters will definitely come out quickly, though. Yakusoku! (Did you know that the word for 'promise' is the same in Korean and Japanese? Just a bit of trivia.)

---

Ms. Monday smiled pleasantly, her brawny arms flexing as she picked up the crate of shellfish. "If you're really newcomers, then let us greet you the proper way! Come with me, we'll have a party!"

"Yatta!" Luffy yelled, jumping up. "Food? Is there gonna be a lot of meat? C'mon, Nami, let's go, pleasepleaseplease?" At the thought of free food, he was going ballistic.

Nami sighed in defeat. "Well, if they're willing to treat us I suppose it's fine," she said, and suddenly her eyes shone with greed. "But you'll provide the food and entertainment, I'm sure?" she asked, smiling creepily. "It's only right, if you invite us to your party. And if you could restock our ship too, that would be great," she continued.

"Oh, really, it's no problem! We rarely get visitors from the east, so this will surely be a grand affair," Ms. Monday said happily, walking towards the middle of the town. She didn't seem to be disturbed at all by Nami's demands, and led the way yelling "Everyone, we have visitors! Let's get ready to have a party!" As they walked, they saw dozens of townspeople streaming out of the buildings carrying crates of food and barrels of drink. Musicians pulled out their instruments and immediately began a raucous symphony accompanied by the shrill laughs of children. The Mugiwaras were led into the middle of the town, where there was a great clearing filled with tables and structures set aside for entertainment.

"Oooh, that ossan is tightrope walking!" Luffy exclaimed as Usopp and Chopper squealed in delight. "Aaaaugh he's falling!" all three of them screamed simultaneously, eyes popping and mouths open comically, as an old man walking across a tightrope without any support at all seemed to unbalance and fall.

"Welcome to Jeju-do!" he called down from the rope. He had landed cross-legged on the rope and bounced back up onto his two feet, with his curly hair bouncing with the motion. "My name is Igaram. Welcome, welcome brave adventurers! Erhem…ma-ma-ma-maaa." He hopped down from the rope and approached the crew with arms spread. "Please, feel free to enjoy yourselves! We pride ourselves on our hospitality."

"Ah, Igaram-san, do you think you could give us a little more information about the island?" Nami asked.

"Oh, don't ruin a perfectly good evening with boring things like that. Come, let us celebrate!" he laughed, pulling her to him with one arm. He motioned a table sitting by a couple of barrels and several burly fishermen who grinned mischievously. "Let's start the evening with a game, shall we? The rice harvests on the mainland are said to have been especially good this year, and we have been blessed with an equally good production of _makgeolli_—or rice wine. Try a cup!"

Nami took the proffered green celadon cup with a nervous hand, and laughed coyly. "Oh, I couldn't possibly drink this much! My alcohol tolerance is nearly nothing." She took a tentative sip and exclaimed, "Oh, it's sweet! And there's hardly any alcohol, too."

Igaram smiled. "The alcohol content is negligible, and it is consumed more for the flavor than for the effects. If you win the contest, then there is a prize of…100,000 beri!" He held up a bulging bag temptingly.

Nami immediately grabbed two cups of the liquid and pushed one in Zoro's face. "Here, you're drinking too. If we win, then you can pay me back for the loan I gave you for the house." She blew a kiss at him and smiled sweetly before downing the contents of her cup. "C'mon, what are you waiting for? Afraid to be beaten by a woman?"

"You witch, I didn't even use your damned money! What the hell are you talking about?" Zoro growled, taking the cup nonetheless. If it was free and had the slightest chance of giving him a buzz, he was up for it.

"Interest, Zoro, interest! You had the money for a day, so that's two hundred percent interest!" Nami held her cup out to be refilled, and glanced at Ms. Monday who sat beside them. "Sorry, miss, but you can't possibly win."

"Two hundred percent? That's impossible! You money-grubbing—"

"Hey, asshole, watch how you talk to Nami-san," Sanji growled from a neighboring table. He was surrounded by girls clad in bright _hanbok_, and their faces were as beautiful as the silk cloth of their dresses. They cooed _Oh, Sanji! You're so handsome!_ and _Won't you stay on the island with us?_ He giggled, his eyes gleaming with lust and with a line of drool coming down his chin. "Beautiful ladies, allow me to be your Prince!" One lady in particular caught his eye. Her bright blue hair glistened like ice in the light, and her fair skin was exposed magnificently by the low cut of her _hanbok_.

She smiled prettily and whispered in his ear, "My name is Ms. Wednesday, Mr. Prince." Sanji practically had a seizure at the seductive look in her eye and began to "Mellorine!"

Zoro rolled his eyes and continued to drink. "Yeah, you're a prince all right…the prince of Retardia."

"What was that?!"

Franky, Brooke, and Robin were sitting with Igaram discussing politics. Zoro grimaced—that sounded oh so exciting. Not really.

"Hey Sanji, you should check this out!" Luffy said happily as he stuffed his face with food. He sat beside an open-table grill that was laden with sizzling mushrooms, onions, and thin slices of beef. Numerous small dishes were arranged around the grill filled with pickled cabbages in pepper paste, onion pancakes, potatoes seeped in thick brown sauce, grilled fish, boiled clams…

"This food is really good!" Luffy continued, his arms reaching out to grab food even from other diners. "It reminds me of yakiniku. Mmmm…can you make this for me later, Sanji?"

As Zoro gulped yet another cup of the rice wine—was it just him, or was it harder to keep focused?—and saw Usopp in the corner sitting next to a starry-eyed Chopper. They were surrounded by admiring fans who listening to Usopp's heavily fabricated tales.

"The soldiers had me outnumbered a thousand to one, but was I scared? No! I told them that I was the great Captain Usopp, and they all fell to their knees and pledged their loyalty in one fell swoop! Of course, since they saw what I had done to those Honshu wolves with the fishbone from my breakfast, they had no other choice…"

"Really, Usopp! Sugee!"

"Of course, would I lie to you? Now, let us begin the Praising Song of Captain Usopp, number 536!"

Zoro grinned and looked around his table. Nami was swaying and yelling outrageous insults at every passerby; her face was flushed and her eyes were unfocused. All other contenders had dropped out save for Ms. Monday, who didn't appear to be very happy. He groaned and let his head drop onto the table.

"I'm done," he moaned before closing his eyes.

Ms. Monday managed to take one more gulp before she too was forced to submit. Nami looked around and grinned happily before falling to the floor, muttering something about "heaven."

---

The night was still, save for the breath of the ocean. The tides sucked in and pushed back out, like the lungs of some great beast.

Speaking of beasts…

Luffy snored lustily, his mouth still crusted with bits of rice and with flecks of meat stuck between his teeth. Sanji slept on a couch nearby, his face covered with an expression of sheer bliss. Usopp and Chopper were curled up side by side next to Brooke, who had left the conversation with Igaram to listen to Usopp's yarns. Robin and Franky were snoozing back to back, occasionally leaning against each other as they shifted in their sleep. Nami and Zoro were still out cold, the former clutching her cup and bag of money.

"So, our little adventurers are finally asleep?" Igaram said, gazing at the broken moon. The light turned his face into a chiaroscuro of silver and black, and he turned his head to look at the people standing behind him. "Is everyone ready to move?"

Ms. Wednesday nodded. "Ms. Monday made sure that the swordsman was knocked out. He looks like the only capable one among the bunch. Have you contacted the Japanese officials yet, Mr. Nine?"

The man she spoke to nodded. He was garbed like one of the many statues that lined the coast, and his face was painted with squiggly lines that vaguely resembled nines. "I had a messenger go and take a message to the Japanese government and to the Boss. Do we really need to go to all this trouble for those kids, though?"

Igaram looked at him sharply. "Don't you remember what the last memo from the Boss said? Times are changing, and you can't expect anything to be taken for face value. Look at this! Why do you think I had the swordsman given the especially strong alcohol?" He help up Zoro's bounty poster. "The others aren't known at all, but this man is wanted by the government. We may have to take further precautions."

"Oh, I feel flattered that you think so highly of me."

"What?!" The group looked around abruptly. A glint of reflected moonlight caught their eyes from the tiled roof of a nearby house.

Zoro grinned, putting Wado Ichimonji back in its sheathe. "You hear strange stories when you travel the world. There are strange things like rubbermen and elementals. But there was something else that I found to be far more interesting—the idea of an organization based on bounty hunting. It does sound intriguing, doesn't it…Baroque Works?"

"How do you know that name?" Igaram shouted, waving a hand. Instantly, all the formerly cheerful members of the town surrounded the house. They were armed with everything from knives and pistols to fishing nets and wooden poles.

Zoro chuckled. "You were the ones who approached me first. Perhaps you remember a man by the name of Mr. 7? He had the nerve to ask me to be the subordinate of a man who never shows his face to his underlings, and whose top members don't even know who they're working with. His weakness proved how bad Baroque works must really be."

Igaram quivered with rage. "Kill him!"

Zoro grinned. The flash of his white teeth were the last thing that many of them saw as a passing cloud obscured the moon.

When the light returned, he was gone.


	10. Damsel in distress

"Bathroom, bathroom…" Luffy hummed, waddling around the village in search of a place to empty his bladder. "Tinkle tinkle, need to go…stars above are popopo…" he sang nonsensically. Looking around, he saw the group of bounty hunters staring at him incredulously.

"Get the kid, we'll use him to bait Roronoa!" Igaram roared, running towards Luffy while grabbing a musket from a nearby bounty hunter.

_Bang. Bang. BANGBANGBANG._

Luffy stepped back, his body reeling from the force of the projectiles. Suddenly, he pulled his arms up and sent the bullets back from where they came from with a roar before plopping onto the ground. The nearest men were immediately felled by the reflected bullets.

"What the heck was that for?!" Luffy yelled angrily, rubbing his chest. "That caught me off guard, you bastards!" He rolled around furiously trying to get back on his feet, but his rotund post-feast shape made it impossible.

"If you can't shoot him, then just cut him!" Ms. Wednesday shrieked, pulling her peacock-colored chain out. Everyone armed with swords and knives immediately advanced upon the vulnerable rubberman.

_Clang_.

Zoro glared at them malevolently, his eyes dark with anger. His swords were drawn and blocking Baroque Works' weapons with ease.

"What kind of shit are you trying to pull, eh?" he growled around Wado Ichimonji. "Move an inch and you'll get circumcised."

"Oi, that's so graphic," a gravelly voice said. "Why didn't you wake me up if you were going to pick a fight, marimo? God knows if you can get out of your situation now, baka." Sanji flicked his lighter and lit a pipe that hung from his lips. His dark blue kimono rustled with his movements and made him look spectral in the darkness.

Zoro chuckled darkly. "Just don't get in the way, dartboard. It looks like there's about a hundred bounty hunters here. I'll leave one or two for you to play with later. _Taka nami!_" The other swordsmen flew in all directions, screaming from the slashes that Zoro drew across their bodies.

"_Tou rou nagashi!"_

"_Oni giri!"_

"_Nigiri!"_

"Your moves make me hungry, marimo," Sanji said sourly. (A/N: A lot of Zoro's moves are puns on food, especially sushi and fish. Ex. Onigiri means riceball). Seeing another group of bounty hunters rushing towards them, he lifted a leg with ease and hit the first unfortunate man square in the neck._ "Collier Shoot! Poitrine! Mouton shot!"_ (A/N: Mouton=lamb)

"You're one to talk, cook. Mouton? Tastes great when grilled with a little rosemary, actually," Zoro grinned, the French rolling off of his tongue with ease.

It didn't take long for the two of them to decimate the bounty hunters, and Zoro finally pulled Luffy to his feet with ease.

"Thanks for waiting, captain. It looks like the only ones left are those over there." He pointed to Igaram, Ms. Wednesday, Mr. 9, and Ms. Monday. They were huddled together, looking as though they were unsure as to whether it would be wiser to stand and fight or run.

"AAAAAH!"

They ran.

---

"Heh, at least we're getting some profit out of this little venture," Nami said happily, stuffing her loot into a sack. The lower members of Baroque Works had been rounded up and tied together, and then looted by the greedy navigator. "They didn't have much, though. You'd think that bounty hunters would have a little more cash. This cross isn't even solid silver," she said with disgust after biting it.

They had taken enough food to last until the next island and picked up any maps or books that they could find (on orders of the navigator).

"Are you guys really the locals?" Franky asked in surprise. "You were doing a lot of fishing and stuff, but it doesn't look like there's that much seafood around here. There's barely any food at all."

One of the men shifted uncomfortably, looking askance. Zoro saw this and immediately pounced.

"Admit it! You're not really native to this island, are you?" Zoro snarled, drawing a sword threateningly. "What did you do with the villagers? Why are you here?"

The man and the bounty hunters tied next to him quivered, and a rank smell rose into the air. One had apparently lost control of his bladder after having Sandai Kitetsu placed against his jugular vein.

"We only did it on orders, I swear!" the man blubbered, squirming desperately against his bonds. "We were supposed to wait here for any ships coming from Japan, now that they're supposed to be opening up for trade. The villagers were all captured and taken to the boss, in—"

_Bang._ The man fell to the ground, his head smoking from some explosive bullet.

"What the hell?" Zoro sputtered, looking around. His eyes moved to the man and woman walking out from the shelter of the trees, dragging the Baroque Works officers who had run off. The man was dark, with hair braided into dreadlocks. His dark glasses flashed in the light of the lamps. The woman wore a bright yellow and orange outfit reminiscent of lemons, with a yellow hat and umbrella that stood out in the darkness. The man picked his nose nonchalantly with one hand while another held a small basket.

"So, it looks like our little rat trap has some vermin in it, eh?" the man said, pulling his finger from his nose while rolling the snot in his fingers. "I bet that the swordsman could give us a promotion, Miss Valentine."

The woman laughed hysterically. "Mr. 5, that is certainly true. Shall we?"

The man flicked his booger at Zoro with a "Nose Fancy Cannon!" The woman jumped into the air, crying "1 Kilo!"

Zoro sliced the incoming booger and made a face—surely his swords weren't meant for cutting things like _that_.

"That's really disgusting, you bastard," he said, looking revolted. Zoro then looked up and saw Miss Valentine hurtling down from the sky screaming, "1000 Kilo!"

"Mellorine~!"

Sanji leaped and caught her in his arms, his feet skidding deeply into the ground. He held her with trembling arms, and she looked at him in disgust.

"What are you doing? 10,000 Kilo!" she shouted, increasing the force on his arms. Still, he held firm.

"I shall never…let a lady…come to harm…" Sanji muttered, taking one step forward. He placed her gently to the ground, where she promptly shot through the earth with the pull of her mass.

"Eek!" she shrieked as she sunk into the soft soil until she was buried to her hips. Try as she might, she found it impossible to get herself out of the ground.

"Oh, no!" Sanji yelled in a slightly high-pitched voice—because men _definitely_ do not shriek, they yell in the most manly way possible—and ran forward to try and help. She still couldn't move.

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Wow, good job, genius. Try to take things a little more seriously, would you?" He turned and cut Mr. 5 down with a single slash before turning to Miss Valentine. "Your turn, missy."

_Pow_. Sanji kicked Zoro aside, growling, "How dare you point that at a lady, you marimo. I refuse to let you—"

They were interrupted by another sound; they heard Miss Valentine give a shriek of pain before shuddering and flopping forward. Nami stood above her, wielding her Perfect Clima Tact menacingly.

"You guys are so useless," she said. She then turned and looked at the other Baroques Works members who were tied up on the ground, including the officers. "So, why don't you tell us a little about yourselves, hm?"

Igaram crawled forward caterpillar-like before prostrating himself as well as he could while tied up. "Please, I have a request," he pleaded. "I know that we may have been enemies for some reason—" ("Oi, didn't you try to kill me for my bounty?" Zoro grumbled) "—but could you help us? I need you to escort Ms. Wednesday to her country."

Nami looked down on him in disbelief. "After all of this ruckus, you have the impertinence to ask something like this? I suppose we could do it…for the right price," she said with a wink. "How does one billion beri sound?"

"…" Igaram stared in disbelief at the redhead. "One b-b-billion beri?!" he shouted, practically frothing at the mouth. "This is Princess Vivi we are speaking of, you impertinent—" He stopped, looking aghast. "Er, I mean, Ms. Wednesday…ma ma maaa…"

"Yeah, and 'Princess Vivi' and 'Ms. Wednesday' obviously sound very similar," Usopp said sarcastically. "Oi, isn't that a little pricey though, Nami?"

Nami smiled at them blandly. "A princess, huh? Why don't you tell us a little more about this?" She pulled Ms. Wednesday apart from the others and propped her upright before standing over Igaram with her Clima Tact above her head. She spun it slowly, releasing the bright red and blue orbs until a small cloud had formed above them. "It only takes a moment to release a bolt of lightning," she said threateningly.

Ms. Wednesday gulped, then sighed in defeat. "I am Princess Vivi, from the kingdom of Egypt to the west."

Nami waited impatiently for more information; when none was offered, she growled before tapping Igaram lightly upside the head. "I'm not joking about the lightning, you know."

"Nami."

Luffy stood, adjusting his straw hat. His stomach had finally managed to digest all the food he had eaten, and he walked up to Vivi with a strange look on his face. He bent down and untied her.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked her, ignoring Nami's sputtering protests. "Why would a princess join an organization like Baroque Works?"

Vivi looked up at him with watering eyes and wiped a tear away. "We must do this. Leaving Egypt, infiltrating Baroque Works, capturing pirates…all for the sake of learning the Boss's name!" she cried, banging her fist on the ground. "Even if it means death, I must do it to save Egypt!"

Nami rushed forward and covered Vivi's mouth quickly. "Did you find out the guy's name?" she asked hesitantly. When Vivi nodded, Nami groaned and said, "Then shut up and don't say anything. I don't want to be involved in your politics."

"How would knowing who the boss is save Egypt, though?" Franky asked, scratching his head curiously.

Vivi shuddered, clenching and unclenching her hands. "Because Sir Crocodile is the reason that Egypt suffers from the horrors of civil turmoil!" She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Oh my goodness…"

Nami stared, her jaw dropping dramatically. Usopp began running back and forth in a panic followed by a slightly confused Chopper; the two of them began rolling on the ground, mouths frothing in fear.

"WHY DID YOU SAY HIS NAME?" Luffy and Nami shouted.


	11. Give and take

A/N: Merry Christmas! Here's my gift to you...

Won't you return the favor by leaving a review?

What an underhanded way of taking advantage of Christmas, huh? :)

---

Luffy grabbed Vivi by the shoulders and shook her. "Now you're in danger too, baka!"

Zoro groaned and picked at his ear, looking highly annoyed. "It looks like we're involved, whether we like it or not. What now, captain?"

Before Luffy could respond, they saw Mr. 5 crawling slowly away and picking up the basket that he had brought with them. Mr. 5 took a pigeon from the basket that cooed in irritation, tied a small message to the leg, and tried to run off while throwing the bird into the air. Zoro moved quickly to try and intercept his movements, and managed to fell Mr. 5 with a single slash and spray of crimson blood. However, the bird quickly moved out of his range of movement and flew off into the night.

Sanji grabbed Mr. 5 and yelled into his face, "What did you just do, you shitty booger man?"

Mr. 5 merely grinned derisively and collapsed.

"Good job, marimo, now we can't even question him," Sanji spat out.

"I'm almost certain that he sent one of these messages," Vivi said dejectedly. She held up a handful of capsules, each with a tiny message hidden inside. "All the higher agents are given messenger pigeons in case of an emergency—they're called the Unluckies. You know, like if you're unlucky and are in a dire situation or whatnot. It's only a matter of time before the boss knows that there's been trouble here."

Luffy grinned and clapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, I guess you'll be coming with us, then. Yosh!"

As the rest of the Mugiwaras went between squabbling over whether there was room on the ship and beginning to warm to the princess, Igaram rolled miserably on the ground.

"Am I forgotten…? I'm still tied up, you know…"

---

The afternoon sky was a clear blue, and the ocean gently rocked the belly of the Thousand Sunny. Zoro stared at the sky on the cool green grass, going over the events of the last few hours. Franky, Brooke, and Robin had agreed to accompany Igaram on a separate ship that Franky had constructed. Hopefully, Baroques Works would be unable to tell which ship held Vivi, and would split their forces, giving both groups a higher probability of survival.

The tangy scent of oranges rose on the air as Sanji swept out of the kitchen with a tray bearing two glasses filled with some tropical drink. "Nami-san, Vivi-chan! Here are the humble offerings of your most loyal servant," he sang, swooning with hearts dancing around his twirling body.

Zoro groaned. He had hoped that the cook's ministrations would lessen with Robin's absence, but with Vivi on board there was no such luck. He rolled over on his belly, and stretched lazily. "Hey Nami, where are we going next?" he called up to the redhead on the deck.

Nami checked their course on her maps and checked the winds with a fingertip. "If we're going for speed, it would be fastest to go around China on the sea rather than taking a land route. China's directly to the west, but we could sail without stopping for supplies until we reach…Jiangsu Province. There should be a port town called Shanghai that we can stop by."

Zoro stood and went up to the railing. He looked at the horizon, knowing that it was far too early to expect to see any land, and was shocked to see a tall column of smoke rising into the air from afar. He pointed it out with a frown.

"Isn't that the direction that Robin and the others went?" he asked, rubbing the hilt of his katana worriedly.

The rest of them looked anxiously, but Luffy kept Nami from turning the ship around with one hand.

"They're strong," he said simply. "They'll survive."

---

Vivi sat on the deck with Nami, sipping from the fruity cocktail that Sanji had given her. Her expression was mournful and anxious. _Surely they don't really understand the forces they're standing up against?_ she thought to herself.

"You ought to trust our abilities," Nami said with a smile, looking over her newspaper at the princess. "Even if only one of us was escorting Igaram, it would be enough. Well, Usopp might need some backup…"

In his inventing room, Usopp sneezed.

"Since we're all in this little trip to hell together, why don't you tell us about the situation in Egypt?" Zoro asked, coming up the stairs to join them. He was quickly followed by Sanji, carrying a tray of baked goodies, and Luffy, following the smell of food.

Vivi looked around at them and smiled sadly. "Our country is dependent on cotton for foreign trade. Lately, however, it seems as though an underground organization has been working to undermine Egypt's economy." She put a hand to her head faintly. "Crocodile came to Egypt from Great Britain and has built a reputation as a respectable businessman. But it's all a fraud. What he really wants is to control Egypt for himself! Cotton shipments have mysteriously disappeared, and crops have been sabotaged in the field. I'm almost certain that even he is part of a greater scheme."

"What do you mean?" Nami asked. "How could he overthrow a monarchy?"

"Perhaps Japan's isolationism kept the news out," Vivi said gravely. "All over the world, monarchies and kingdoms that have held power for centuries are being overturned, and countries are filled with civil war and turmoil. In France alone, the monarchy has been torn apart and rebuilt at least three times in the last few decades."

Zoro gripped the hilt of Wado Ichimonji tightly as the crew looked at him in surprise.

"Did you see any of this, Zoro?" Usopp asked in morbid curiosity.

Zoro nodded, pursing his lips. "Yes, most of my time was spent trying to keep peace in the streets. It wasn't easy. The streets of Paris ran red with blood, regardless of party lines and beliefs." Looking to move the attention away from himself, Zoro asked, "What do you mean about a greater scheme, though?

Vivi looked down at her hands. "The world is balanced delicately on the shoulders of several

great powers. Just as the pirates disrupted the balance many years ago with the emergence of the famous Gol. D. Roger, the nations of the world have now banded together to form another superpower called the World Government."

"How does a greater governing force disrupt the balance, though? Won't it just keep the peace?" Chopper piped up curiously.

Vivi shook her head. "They are far too powerful. It's in times like these that people become corrupt. Can't you feel it? The tides of power, growing…a tsunami will help no one."

Zoro felt the words stir something in the back of his memory.

"_They've formed this thing that they call the World Government…In my opinion, they're just trying to control the world a little more… something is happening with the world."_

Smoker's words jarred him to the core.

"Vivi, are the governments the only ones banding together?" he asked, almost in desperation. He had to know for sure.

Vivi looked at him in surprise. "You're aware of it, then? The largest pirating force since Gol D. Roger is becoming more active. They call themselves the Whitebeard Pirates. They might be able to counter the power of the World Government."

Luffy looked up in surprise. "Whitebeard Pirates? Are they really that powerful?" He stroked a nonexistent beard thoughtfully, as though contemplating what it would be like to have a face covered in hair. "I guess that's why Ace joined them, then. No wonder, shishishi!"

Nami looked at him in surprise. "Ace joined _those_ Whitebeard Pirates? They're one of the only groups that's been able to successfully go in and out of Japan! Of course, whenever they come back it's total mayhem." Her voice drifted off in uncertainty. "They've only been back twice in the last ten years or so."

Luffy grinned. "Yeah, Ace went with 'em a couple of years ago. It was so awesome! When he came back, he was so strong." He made a face. "He thought he was so cool just 'cause he could turn into fire and stuff."

Everyone looked up at the sound of a katana being drawn from its sheath. Zoro held up Wado Ichimonji with a firm hand, although he looked slightly shaken. "The other time the Whitebeard Pirates came to Japan was ten years ago," he murmured. His voice was low, and slowly the emotion slid off of his face. "Mayhem? Yes. You could call it that. That evening…there were no reported casualties from their activities. No injuries. Only a bit of property damage from their drunken antics and foolishness." He breathed in deeply.

"Of course, the death of one girl is hardly anything to worry about in the greater scheme of things. No matter how skillful she was, or how proud…her death was meaningless to them." He smiled morbidly. "I doubt they even realized that they caused her death."

---

A/N: Yep, I took Robin, Franky, and Brooke out of the picture. Why? Who knows…fufufu…

It certainly wasn't because a full crew of Mugiwaras was too much to handle…coughcough…


	12. Whitebeard actually has no beard

A/N: I wrote this chapter on Christmas Eve so if it's really weird and random then it's just the holiday spirit getting to me. And for Santoryuu-Zoro….once I write a one-shot or two with an angst theme, then I'll really tackle your request.

I will be on vacation for a little while, so the next chapter will be a wee bit delayed. Gomen!

---

"Zoro…?" Luffy said softly, looking at the man in concern.

Zoro looked down, his smile softening a little. "Don't worry, Captain, it's nothing." He stood and retreated down the stairs before disappearing up the crow's nest.

---

"Nine hundred and sixty five…nine hundred and sixty six…"

Zoro balanced on his thumbs, counting every hand-stand (or thumb-stand?) pushup. He ignored the burning of his muscles and the sting of the sweat in his eyes—those definitely weren't salty tears that ran down his face, because _real men don't cry_—and continued to push his body. His muscles burned with exertion, and he knew that he should probably stop soon if he didn't want to injure himself. He had stowed away in the crow's nest to avoid any confrontations with the rest of the crew; he didn't want to have to tell Luffy that he probably wouldn't be very fond of his older brother just because of the crew that Ace had chosen.

Zoro scowled when he heard the door to the crow's nest open and smelled smoke enter the room. He coughed deliberately and moved to open a window. "Asshole, if you're going to smoke in an enclosed area then at least open a window or something," he growled. He grabbed a towel and wiped at his face. "What do you want?"

Sanji put a hand to his lips and removed the pipe that hung there. "What's your history with Whitebeard? It might help if you talked to someone about it rather than going all I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-ask like you did down there." He stroked the wood of his pipe, waiting. "And for your information, your sweat stinks more than my smokes do. I like to think that mine are nice and fragrant."

Zoro rolled his eyes and stretched out on the floor. "How old are you, ero-cook?" he asked. It felt good to stretch his weary limbs on the hard wood of the floor. Zoro felt a small throbbing—not in his arms where he had been working out, but in the hollow of his belly that came every once in a while. It ached, but he knew he had to wait it out for it to dissipate on its own.

Sanji raised an eyebrow, and said, "I'm nineteen. Why?" The blond stretched his own long, lean legs out on a plush leather sofa, putting one arm behind his head.

"Same age as me, then. You've lived in Japan your whole life?" Zoro was breathing lightly, but Sanji could tell that he was forcing himself to keep from breathing too heavily. There was a pressure on the swordsman's heart that affected his entire body.

"Yep."

"Can you remember the last time Whitebeard and his men came to Japan? Not counting when Ace joined up. Ten years ago, when you would have been nine years old."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Thanks for doing the math for me, I would never have known my age then otherwise. I don't remember much about it, because I was just adopted at that time so there were other things for me to worry about. They didn't land on my island."

Zoro finished drying himself off and pulled out Wado Ichimonji. "Do you know why I always place this katana in my mouth, and none of the other ones?" Zoro ran a thumb along the keen edge of the blade, just lightly enough that it only barely nicked his skin. Its white hilt was clean and pure, in contrast to the deep red blood it had drawn through his use. The way he held it reminded Sanji of the way one might hold an old lover. Zoro gazed down at the gleaming sword, despair in his eyes at what could not be reversed.

Sanji looked surprised at the sudden shift in conversation and responded, "No, why? Is it lighter?"

Zoro shook his head. "This sword once belonged to a girl I knew…her name was Kuina," he said softly. It had been a long time since he had willingly dredged up these memories. This was not going to go well.

"Oooh, so it's a giiiirl, eh?" Sanji said gleefully, slapping one knee. "I never knew you had it in you, marimo!" Suddenly, Sanji paused. "Wait…what do you mean, her name _was_?"

Zoro looked at him balefully. "Don't you dare speak of her like that. We shared the same dream of becoming the strongest user of blades in the world. She was far stronger than I was, and she never let me forget it. Not for 2000 battles." His face was pale with anger at Sanji's implications, but his fists were slack in defeat.

"You lost to a girl 2000 times?" Sanji exclaimed incredulously.

"It doesn't matter if she was a girl!" Zoro spat out, turning red. "At first, I was ashamed to be beaten by her. But it was even more shameful when she admitted that one day, I would grow stronger than her because she was a woman and I am a man. I hated it when she said that, and we made a promise to never give up on our dream." He smiled grimly. "Now I have to carry the dream for the both of us."

Sanji asked softly, "What happened?" He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

Zoro fell silent, and Sanji regretted asking the question. But Zoro finally spoke.

"I didn't see her die. The night that Whitebeard came, he first landed in Shimotsuki Village." Zoro paused, and sighed. "Now is not the right time to tell her story." He stood and left, muttering, "I'm going to go take a shower." His shoulders were slumped, as though much wearier than he should have been from his workout.

Sanji sat, puffing on his pipe. He drew the mini Den Den Mushi from inside his kimono and spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Did you guys hear all of that…?"

Down in the galley were Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Vivi.

"Hai…" they said in unison, speaking softly.

---

"Hey, seaweed head! Marimo! Cabbage brain!" Sanji yelled, kicking Zoro firmly in the ribs. Zoro had been listless for the past few days, ever since the topic of Whitebeard was brought up. Sanji continued his insults, hoping for some kind of response from the swordsman. "What are you, a little kitty? Not even gonna respond?"

Zoro looked at the cook and swung a sword half-heartedly. "Nya," he said.

Sanji stared. "Did you just go 'nya'?"

"Nya."

(A/N: In Japan, cats go 'nya' apparently. I think it's kind of cute ^^)

"Okay, there's something definitely wrong with you. Chopper! Where are you, you delicious little walking piece of venison—oh, there you are. There's something wrong with the marimo's brain here. He's acting too depressed. Look!" Sanji took a deep breath. "Your mother's a piece of spinach and your dad's a green snot!"

No reaction.

Chopper stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe Usopp can help. He's good at this sort of thing."

"What's going on, you guys?" Nami walked down, followed by Vivi and Luffy.

"Do you guys know where Usopp is?" Chopper asked.

"Yeah, I'll get him," Luffy said. "USOPP! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Usopp ambled onto the deck from his workshop. "What's up?"

"We need you to say something that will get some kind of response from this idiot," Sanji said, puffing angrily on his pipe. "C'mon, I bet you've been saving some up and are just dying to let it out. This is probably the only time you can say it without being impaled."

Usopp looked down in excitement, and then paled. "Er, what if he does impale me?"

"Take one for the team, then."

Usopp sighed, and began his tirade. "Y-y-you're a pile of old natto left in the rain!" When there was no response, he continued bravely. "You couldn't find water if you were stuck in the ocean!"

"Usopp, those are lame," Luffy whined. "Lemme try. Uh…baka!"

"Luffy, that's not going to do anything. I've increased your interest to 500%, Zoro," Nami said, grinning evilly. When Zoro simply groaned and rolled over, she sighed. "I give up. He doesn't even have any money, anyway."

---

Zoro grimaced as he rolled over. These people needed to bloody shove off and give him some space, damnit! He was just tired. Yeah, right. He couldn't even convince himself. As they continued to poke and prod him, he felt a massive headache beginning to form and an itch to inflict bodily harm. Major, gruesome bodily damage—the kind that leaves splatters on the wall and limbs flying. He took a deep breath, controlling himself. It wouldn't do to try and slaughter the people who had taken him in and called him nakama.

He heard Luffy come over, his sandals slapping on the wood. "Neh, Zoro, how come you're always sleeping? More than usual, I mean." Everyone else left in exasperation.

Zoro rolled over and cracked an eye open. "Hm? I don't know, Luffy, I just haven't been feeling too hot lately."

"I know something that'll cheer you up!" Luffy said cheerfully. "Look, land! Land-ho!"

Zoro sat up, stretching his arms wide. Indeed, in the distance there was a tiny dark smudge on the horizon. As it grew larger, they saw that it was a city.

Nami grinned from the upper deck after she had finished relaying directions to the rest of the crew.

"Looks like we've arrived in Shanghai!" she cried, jumping down the stairs in glee.


	13. Hormones and Heso

A/N: I love hot springs. They're so relaxing, especially at night when you can see the mist softly rising from the hot water...

Anyways, Happy New Year! Thanks to anyone kind enough to read my stories 3

---

Zoro stood up slowly, looking at the approaching landmass. Other ships were coming into view as well—mostly fishing boats and merchant vessels, but he could have sworn he saw the occasional Jolly Roger as well.

"Hey Nami, can I borrow some money?" Luffy asked, jumping up and down. "I bet this city has really good food. I can smell it from here!"

"Yeah, me too, Nami! I wonder what kind of gizmos they'll have?" Usopp said, looking thoughtful.

As everyone clamored for spending money from Nami, a tic mark appeared on her forehead. "What am I, the bank?" she growled, her hands forming into fists.

"Eek!"

"Ow, that huuuurt."

"Run for your life, Chopper!"

Nami rubbed her fist, glaring at the pile of bruised men before her. "I'll lend you some at fifty percent interest, but only because you helped to get it from Baroque Works. You better pay me back!"

"Yay! Thanks, Nami," Luffy said, wrapping a pair of rubbery arms tightly around her waist. As she looked down at him in surprise, he untangled himself and drew an arm back, saying, "Gomu gomu no...Rocket!" As he launched his arm out, they watched it disappear towards the port.

Zoro attached his swords to his waist with a sigh. He might as well get some money from the witch, too. "Hey Nami, can I get some too?"

She looked at him strangely, a slight flush on her face. She looked a little dazed. "Wha..? Oh. Yeah, sure. No problem."

Zoro looked at her closely, and saw her eyes slide from him to Luffy. He grinned and said, "No interest?"

"Sure thing," she responded listlessly, handing him an envelope.

Zoro's grin grew wider, and he grabbed one of Luffy's arms. "C'mon, captain, let's go."

Luffy looked at him happily. "Oh? You look pretty happy now, Zoro!" He jumped onto the railing and jumped. As they were pulled to shore, Luffy looked down at Zoro as the wind ruffled his clothes and hair. "Your hair kind of looks like the way seaweed does in the waves."

Zoro looked up at his captain and pouted—er, glared. Pouting wasn't possible for the great Roronoa Zoro. "Where are we landing, by the way?"

"I dunno. Wherever."

Zoro looked up and saw a brick wall approaching at an alarming rate. "Hey Luffy maybe you should oh god TURN INTO A BALLOON OR SOMETHING, DAMNIT!"

"Gomu gomu no fuuuseeen!"

They bounced off of Luffy's inflated body, and Zoro dropped to the ground, clutching his chest. "That…was…too…freaking…scary…"

Luffy jumped to his feet, looking around in excitement. They had just landed in the middle of a bustling hub of activity. It was a miracle that no one had seen an impossibly long arm stretch from the ocean to the city, but there they were. The walls were high, with lines of laundry stretching from window to window ("Sanji'd have a field day with all those hanging panties," Zoro muttered). Men and woman alike talked to one another rapidly while exchanging goods and currency—it appeared that the most common form was a coin with a hole in the middle. Outside of the alley, there was a river of people running from place to place. The majority of people were on foot, although there was the occasional bicycle or rickshaw. Luffy ran out, his mouth forming a round 'o' as he gazed at the scene before him.

"Hey Zoro, they're eating sparrows! They're so little, but they smell sooo gooood. Are those dumplings? C'mon, Zoro, we gotta try all of this!" Luffy quickly picked out enough food to fill his arms and paid the vendors, then immediately began chowing down.

"Hey Luffy, maybe you should spit out the bones…no?...okay then. At least spit out the wrapper. Don't give it to me, you freak!" Zoro pushed away the offending slimy piece of napkin that Luffy was offering him. "I'm going to go look for a weapons shop. I'm out of oil. Want to come?"

Luffy looked at him like he was crazy, then sighed. "If I don't come then you'll get lost. Where's the shop?"

Zoro glared at him. "Let's ask. 'Scuse me," Zoro said, hailing a young woman who was walking by. "Do you know where the nearest weapon or sword shop is?"

The woman smiled pleasantly at him, and her hair was a blond color that was even lighter than Sanji's. She shrugged, indicating that Japanese was not part of her vocabulary.

"Hm," Zoro hummed to himself, thinking. "You don't happen to know Mandarin, do you?" he asked Luffy. The other boy shook his head.

"Duh, Zoro. There's something about 'Japanese isolationism' that implies that I'd never leave the country. So I'd never learn how to speak any other languages. She doesn't look Chinese anyway—she's blond."

Zoro stared at him. Sometimes Luffy was surprisingly…intelligent. _"Parlez-vous francais?"_ Zoro asked, praying that somehow she would know how to speak French.

The woman smiled. _"Oui. Qu'est-ce que vous voulez, monsieur?"_ she asked. Zoro quickly told her their destination, and she took him by the hand and began leading him.

"_Ah…je m'appelle Conis. Comment appelez-vous?"_ she asked.

"_Je m'appelle Zoro, et il est Luffy_," Zoro responded. "Her name's Conis."

(A/N: Although France and China did conduct a treaty in 1844, the extent to which the French presence was felt in China is more suited towards 20th century. Boo. Let's bend history a little.)

---

"_Papa, heso!"_ Conis called as they passed through the doorway of a tiny shop. Its interior was surprisingly spacious, and the walls were lined with rows upon rows of strange gadgets that gleamed in metallic silvers and a rainbow of ceramic hues. Zoro looked around in confusion as Luffy bounded in.

"Sugeeee!" Luffy cried, his eyes shining with stars. He immediately ran over to one of the small devices and poked it experimentally. It began to spin and smoke, emitting a pleasantly aromatic smell. He poked it again, a little too hard, and it fell over. "Ack!"

A man walked out from an interior room, wiping his hands with a white cloth. His eyes were hooded, and he had a bushy brown mustache that twitched with every movement of his mouth. _"Heso, Conis,"_ he said, and saw what Luffy had done with one of his wares. He immediately began to fix it, speaking in an apologetic voice.

"What's he saying, Zoro?" Luffy asked.

Zoro stared at the man. "He said he's sorry for leaving it where you could knock it down. Geez, I've never seen such an apologetic guy before." He quickly reassured the man that it was okay. Then, he turned to Conis with a small frown. "I don't think this is a weapon's shop."

Conis saw the look on his face and went behind the counter. _"Qu'est-ce que vous voulez?"_

He sighed and began to request the items he needed—cotton balls and oil for his swords, clean cloths, and so on. She turned around and faced a wall lined with row upon row of tiny compartments and pulled out what he asked for. _"Ici," _she said with a smile.

Zoro scratched his head sheepishly and thanked her with a _"Merci."_

They spoke for a brief amount of time—during which he learned that her father's name was Pagaya, that 'heso' was a popular greeting, and gave Luffy enough time to wreak havoc and get apologized too—before Zoro finally left, dragging Luffy behind him. Zoro stopped short when he nearly poked himself in the eye when he nearly ran into Usopp right outside the door.

"Hey, Zoro! You go to places like this, too?" Usopp said, peeking into the shop excitedly. "I saw some of their goods in the window and I knew that I just had to come here. Look!" Usopp ran in excitedly, arms waving like those of an octopus in the water; Zoro and Luffy were quickly forgotten in the thrill.

Zoro continued on his way out, carrying the parcels under his arm. He kept walking and turned to Luffy saying, "Where do you want to go next?" He looked and realized that he was alone, and that he had left Luffy back with Usopp. He immediately began walking back.

An hour later, he was sweating, miserable, crushed against the wall by all of the people, utterly lost…and still Luffy-less.

He shook a few drops of sweat from his head—the heat was unbearable, even in spring. Stripping off his shirt, Zoro looked around with little hope of being able to track his captain down. He saw Sanji talking to a nearby vendor, comparing vegetables and flirting shamelessly with the pretty girl selling her produce. He couldn't understand why the cook would change into such a vividly pink shirt. Zoro immediately walked over and set his things down with a sigh of relief. "Hey, ero-cook. Where's everyone else?"

Sanji turned with a sour look on his face and stopped short, a nasty remark lingering on the tip of his tongue. Both he and the vendor were staring at Zoro with wide eyes and mouths slightly open, a tinge of red staining their cheeks.

Zoro stared right back at Sanji. "What?" he asked bluntly, running his shirt across his chest and wiping away the sweat that gleamed there. Sanji shook his head slightly and glared intently at a head of cabbage in his hand.

"The ship's that way. Chopper's keeping watch, but everyone else is somewhere in the city. Why?" Sanji paused, and then added almost as an afterthought, "Marimo."

"I lost Luffy a while ago, and needed somewhere to stash my stuff. See you later, then," Zoro said, turning around and waving at the cook.

"Bye," Sanji said, sounding a little unfocused. "Erhem…how much was this cabbage?"

---

Eventually, Zoro managed to find his way back to the Thousand Sunny. He climbed on board wearily, having spent all day navigating through the city after speaking to Sanji. The sky was darkening and the Sunny was lit with dozens of the paper lanterns that were now beginning to be lit throughout the city. He could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen and hear the voices of the crew.

"Tadaima," he muttered, going to his bunk and placing his parcels on his hammock. He would clean his swords after dinner. Turning around, he saw Luffy and Usopp standing in the doorway. Their expressions were nearly unreadable, but he could tell that they were bursting with some sort of emotion.

They looked at each other and then looked back at him.

"Zoro…" Luffy said.

"…did you get lost again?" Usopp finished. They immediately began to crack up.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Zoro roared, chasing them onto the deck. There, they found a stranger waiting for them. "Oy, trouble…" Zoro muttered, and his words drew the rest of the crew onto the deck.

The old woman was wrinkled with age and looked at them serenely. "Have you registered your ship?" she croaked.

"Did we have to register?" Luffy said, scratching his head. "I dunno, I just jumped onto shore. What's that?"

"There is a mandatory fee. But you don't have to pay," the woman replied.

"Excellent!" Nami squealed. "What do you need, then?"

"I'm just here to see who pays and who doesn't," the woman said. She turned around and began to walk off of the plank back to the dock. "If you are unwilling to pay, then so be it."

"How strange," Nami said, scratching her chin. "Oh, well. C'mon Vivi, let's try on those clothes we bought today!"

Zoro looked after the old woman's retreating back for a long time, and then went back into the kitchen. Maybe he could rile up the ero-cook enough to get some of his frustration at getting lost—no, at losing the rest of the crew.


	14. Brawl like the Smash Bros

As the Mugiwaras (plus one desert princess) ate in their normal, boisterous manner, they heard a loud series of thumps from outside. They ran out the door and found a line of men armed with long spears and wearing uniforms that gave them the air of authority—they were most likely the local policing forces. Each was garbed in neatly pressed, navy-blue uniforms that were buttoned up to the chin with globes of brass. Matching caps hooded their eyes, which were level and held at attention.

"What are these idiots doing here?" Zoro grumbled, taking a swig from a bottle of sake he held in one hand while approaching them nonchalantly. "You ought to get permission from the captain before boarding someone's ship, you know. It's polite," he said, belching loudly.

Sanji wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Hypocritical marimo. I want to know what you guys think you're doing too, though."

One man stepped forward who must have been the leader of the group. He began to quickly speak in what they assumed to be Mandarin, and they stared at him looking perplexed. He stopped short and huffed in irritation before snapping a command to one of his men. They quickly ran off, and it wasn't long before they returned with another group of men. This new group began speaking in turn, trying to find a common language between them.

"_Goedendag—"_

"_Buenos noches—"_

"_Kumusta pokayo—"_

"_Hello—"_

"Ah-ha!" Luffy exclaimed in excitement, jumping up and down as the last man spoke in Japanese. "That one! That one!"

The leader nodded curtly and the other interpreters left, leaving the Japanese speaker behind. The leader began to speak through the translator.

"Greetings. My name is Captain McKinley of the Shanghai Municipal Police Forces. One of our informants, Amazon, has recently brought to our attention that you had refused to pay the docking fee for staying in our port. As a result, you are to be brought under arrest and taken to the Upper Yard, where you will be on trial for your crimes. Should you resist, you shall be taken forcibly, and your safety is not guaranteed. It is suggested that you come quietly."

(A/N: For most of this century, the Shanghai Municipal Police Forces—hell, the SMPF—was composed mainly of Europeans.)

"Really?" Luffy said, cracking his knuckles. "I don't really want to go to court. What about you guys?" The other Mugiwaras nodded in agreement. "Then let's show 'em what it means to threaten the Mugiwara Pirates!"

The SMPF didn't stand a chance. Unfortunately, one of them had enough breath to blow a whistle and draw hordes of reinforcements.

"…crap," Sanji growled, kicking the bodies off of the ship.

"Nami. Usopp. Vivi. I want you to stay here and keep an eye on the Merry while the rest of us lead them away from our ship, okay?" Luffy said, jumping onto the railing. "Everyone else, let's go!"

"I-I-I'll leave it to you guys, then. Go! Go!" Usopp cried, his knees knocking slightly while he reached for his slingshot.

Zoro laughed and reached for his swords. It was time to get a bit of a workout today.

Zoro jumped into the fray, followed closely by Sanji. They hissed at each other, glaring daggers, and eventually reached a ceasefire when the first opponent tried to spear one of them.

"I'll bet you that I can get more of these guys than you can," Zoro smirked, cutting down the first offender. "There's one."

Sanji leaped up and landed on his hands, spinning his legs in a deadly whirlwind. "There's five. Only got one so far? Pity. What are you going to bet?"

"Oni giri! How about the loser has to do chores for a week," Zoro said, cutting down another wave of men. "Eight down."

Sanji kicked another man in the jaw with a satisfying crack and spun around to smash the faces of three men who were trying to creep up on Zoro. "Nine so far. C'mon, what kind of a pathetic bet is that? Winner gets to pick something from Nami-san or Vivi-chan's wardrobes for the loser to wear."

Zoro spun gracefully, his swords creating a glittering wave of metal and flesh punctuated by the spray of crimson blood. "You've got yourself a deal, then. Fifteen down…you freaking pervert."

"Ooh, are you guys playing a game? Lemme play, too! Gomu gomu no gattling gun!" Luffy's arms punched out at a speed that was impossible to follow, and he grinned. "There's thirty men down. Shishishi!"

Zoro and Sanji groaned before running to meet the next group of attackers. Zoro leapt over fallen crates and spilled produce that littered the narrow streets—somehow, he had gotten separated already from the others. The brick walls were tall and topped with ceramic tiles and men shooting arrows from above—who knew that a police force could have so many men? He leapt onto a barrel before jumping from wall to wall, eventually landing on the roof where he could reach the archers with more room for maneuvering. He jumped from the roof and landed in a courtyard, where a koi pond and flowering trees created a serene atmosphere that contrasted with the violence that was occurring around this bubble of paradise. He looked around and saw a line of men standing by the door beside was appeared to be…

"Oh, shit."

…a cannon.

He jumped out of the way and glared at the men. Unlike the SMPF, who were predominantly European, these men were ethnically Chinese. Nevertheless, the hostility they contained was oozing from their bodies in waves, and Zoro grunted in annoyance. _Great, more enemies_, he thought, and then grinned. _But that means that I can wipe out more men than that freaking cook._

One of the men approached him and waved the others away. He hefted a heavy pistol on one shoulder with ease, and wore the traditional flowing clothing of the native people. Zoro smirked, knowing that such artillery wouldn't be useful against someone with his speed.

Of course, when the cannon blasted with a flash of light as well as ammunition, he knew he was in a pickle when he found that he was temporarily blind.

"What the hell was that?" Zoro growled, moving behind a wall while waiting for his eyes to adjust. This was going to be a little tricky.

---

Sanji glowered at the men who continued to crowd around him. "I'm so bloody tired of you guys. I don't think you really understand that _you can't beat me. _I've beaten more than sixty of your men and you still insist on coming! What the hell is this?"

When they charged at him, he sighed. Maybe he should start learning some new languages, so he could curse at them and have some comprehension.

After incapacitating the fresh wave, he retreated into the depths of the city. It would be much easier for him when they were spread out along the narrow streets and alleyways of the city; in a broad courtyard, he was at a disadvantage if they managed to surround him.

"Sight, sound, smell, taste, and thought—the six senses of man each contains good, evil, and neutral."

Sanji stopped short and ducked into an alcove, listening. Was that Zoro speaking? It was unusual to hear him speak in a manner that was almost poetic. Normally, all he heard from that idiot's mouth were coarse curses and insults. He listened in wonder.

"Men further specify each with purity, serenity, and taint. These make up the thirty-six agonies of life." Zoro's words were low, and rumbled deep in his chest to carry throughout the air and earth. Sanji stalked around lightly until he found the courtyard where Zoro was speaking from and peeked around the wall, carefully brushing a handful of golden hair behind one ear. Zoro continued to speak, two swords sheathed and one positioned behind his back in a double-handed grip. "As of now, I have aimed my cannon at you! You have a pistol; I have a cannon. In both range and power, my weapon is superior. If you still want to come…then, come!"

The man facing him looked deep in thought before jumping after him, guns raring to go. Zoro breathed in deeply as the man approached him, speaking derisively. Zoro grinned and said, "The flying slash…have you seen it before? One sword style…thirty-six agony phoenix slash!" The man was in midair, both pistols cocked and ready to fire, when the blast hit him square in the chest. Zoro sheathed his katana calmly and walked out, hearing the other men cry "Braham!" as he left.

Sanji emerged from the shadows. "That was impressive," he said simply, hands reaching deep into his kimono for his pipe. He scowled when he realized that it had cracked during the commotion, and put it aside in disgust. "I'm at sixty-six, by the way."

Zoro grinned as they made their way down the street, the sounds of combat fading as their opponents ran after Luffy. "Sixty-nine, after beating that gunner."

They felt the ground shaking as more men began to run their way. The heard a thump from above and saw Luffy grinning down at them from the roof. "One hundred and five," he said with a grin. "Uh-oh, they're following me. See ya!"

"Damnit, Luffy!" Zoro swore, running in the opposite direction. Sanji grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards Luffy.

"I saw a temple at the top of a hill over there that might provide some coverage. High places are always the best to defend from," Sanji said, running after Luffy. He pulled both men by the arm, muttering, "If I don't keep a tight grip on the two of you then you'll probably end up lost again."

"What about Chopper, though?" Zoro said, looking around. They had lost the little reindeer a while ago.

"He can take care of himself—he's strong!" Luffy said cheerfully, running along.

As they ran, they saw the temple that Sanji had spoken of come into view. It was in the center of what appeared to be a more commercial part of town, where shops and vendors flourished rather than households. They ran past the tall brick gates of the temple, startling monks who were beginning their evening prayers. They took care to avoid tipping over the massive pots of incense that left a fragrant spray of ashes in the air, and ran in the shadows away from the strings of lanterns and lights. The temple itself was enormous—constructed from the sturdy wood of what must have been enormous trees, topped with tiles and painted in hues of blue and red, trimmed with gold. Inside, they found that it was surprisingly silent, and retreated as far into the building as possible. Upon reaching what must have been the very center of the temple, they found a surprising sight.

There was a courtyard opened to the sky, and built beautifully with sandalwood screens and silken curtains. In the middle, there was a large throne on which sat a sleeping man. His ears were long like the Buddha's and he wore white silk robes of the finest quality. When the three Mugiwaras stumbled into the room, he opened one eye lazily and yawned.

A female attendant walked into the room and glanced in fear at the intruders. The man spoke in a rumbling voice that seemed to quell her fear, and she approached the man with a bowl of fruit and began to daintily feed him. The man looked down at Luffy, who was staring hungrily at the bowl of fruit, and laughed heartily.

"You come from Japan, huh?" he said, scratching his ear absently. When they started in shock, he grinned lazily. "Now the blond is thinking about kicking me. I don't think you should cut me either, green hair. And straw hat…is going to stretch? Interesting."

"How the hell do you know that?" Sanji said, and jumped in shock as the man mimicked him while he spoke. "Stop that! What the…"

The man smiled. "My name is Eneru." He held a hand up and balled it into a fist, which began to steadily grow brighter and begin crackling. Zoro could feel his hair standing on end, and squinted to adjust to the growing light._"Ware ga …kaminara."_ His fist exploded in a burst of light, and the room was enveloped in a blinding flare.

"_Auuuugh!_" Zoro heard Sanji scream beside him, and he gritted his teeth as he felt the pain course through his entire body. The last thing he heard was Luffy crying out, "Sanji! Zoro…" before he blacked out.

---

A/N: Ware ga kaminara means "I am lightning" but can also mean "I am God."


	15. A city saved, a bet lost

A/N: Aaaand here's chapter fifteen. Enjoy.

Also, a bit of shameless advertising...I began another OP fic called 'The World,' and would greatly appreciate it if you could check it out. Because that other fic has been consuming my time, both stories will be updated a little less regularly. But I can't help but write them both. It's like having a wife and a mistress. Er, well, a husband and a lover, actually. I don't swing the other way (even if my characters might).

---

Gradually, the light in the room dimmed and the crackling faded away. Eneru was still slouched at ease in his throne, one hand held up as he withdrew the energy from the atmosphere.

Sanji managed to stumble for a moment, clutching his heart, before falling to the ground. His body was black and charred, but he was still breathing faintly.

Zoro fared worse; his earring and swords had attracted more electricity, making him into a rough lightning rod. He was still standing, but was obviously unconscious—his eyes were white and his face slack. A quick bolt of lightning quickly pushed him over.

Luffy stood between his two nakama, clothing charred and tattered but otherwise perfectly fine. He looked at his fallen comrades and something seemed to shift in his mind. He removed his hat and placed it gently on his first mate's body, then began cracking his fingers.

"What do you think you're doing to my nakama?" Luffy growled, winding an arm back.

Eneru stared, beginning to sit up. He eyes were wide open and his mouth was gaping shamelessly, obviously shocked that Luffy was standing and unharmed. "What…what are you?!" he shrieked, rising completely and putting both hands out. "You people are merely law-breakers and commoners! How dare you speak to me, God, like that? 50 Million Volt Vari! 60 Million! 100 Million!" When the volts did nothing to Luffy, he screamed "MAX 200 MILLION VOLT VARI!"

Luffy shook his head slightly in annoyance. "What, is that supposed to hurt?" he said menacingly. He moved quickly and placed Zoro and Sanji safely to the side before gazing balefully at Eneru from across the room. "Gomu gomu no…"

"Stretching?" Eneru said softly, looking almost curious.

"PISTON!" Luffy's fist shot at Eneru's face, smashing solidly into flesh and bone and producing a satisfying _crunch_.

---

Zoro woke up groggily, trying to stand one two slightly wobbly arms. "Where the hell am I?" he mused out loud, attempting to shake the pain out of his head. Not a good idea, actually, since it resulted in an immediate throbbing at the base of his skull and nearly blacking out. He heard someone groan beside him and immediately wondered if he hadn't bedded some really violent whore somewhere in this goddamned city. After fighting all those SMPF he wouldn't have been surprised if he needed a fix…

"Wait a second…"

Zoro looked to the side as quickly as his body would allow him and saw Sanji, charred to a nice crisp.

"Well, at least I know I didn't sleep with _that_," Zoro muttered to himself, standing experimentally and finding that he was getting better. He checked his swords—no damage, surprisingly, but he supposed that all the damage had been concentrated in his body. Joy—and immediately began poking the other man with his foot.

"Wake up, ero-cook. Nami and Vivi are standing right above you, doing a strip tease. C'mon man, we've got to go find Luffy." Sanji immediately stood up, looking around.

"Nami-san? Vivi-chwaaan?" Sanji sang out, and then stumbled. "Ow…shitty liar…where's Luffy?"

Zoro looked around. "I can't really say, but I think this temple has seen better days. We'd better get out of here before it falls on us." The walls of the buildings were charred and smashed in at irregular intervals, and were on the verge of collapse. As the two of them walked out into the hallways, they found that the floors were also full of gaping holes and pits that looked as though someone had been thrown onto the ground.

"Some crazy party, huh?" Sanji said, whistling softly as he saw the melted remains of what used to be statues.

"Oi, I think I see him!" Zoro said, beginning to run. They found Luffy sitting against a pillar being tended to by Chopper, pointing in triumph at Eneru's unconscious body at the foot of the stairs. Already, citizens were beginning to gather at the foot of the stairs.

"Shishishi, I beat him," Luffy said with a grin. "He kept talking about how he was God or something."

Zoro looked distastefully at Eneru's body. "Too bad I don't believe in God. What are we going to do with him now?"

"I dunno. He attacked us first. Let's go find everyone else." They all stumbled down the stairs together, moving through the path that was being cleared by the silent Shanghai residents. They reached the Thousand Sunny peacefully, save for the scolding they received from the navigator for being in such bad shape, and collapsed on the deck.

Later, news would reach them of a coup d'etat that had swept through Shanghai after an incident concerning the city's God. Information had been released stating that a Devil Fruit user had been covertly tyrannizing the city's inhabitants, forcing them to bend to his will and worship him. After he had been found beaten unconscious, his crimes were revealed and he was taken into custody by the World Government for deliberation on his fate. That day was marked on the Shanghai calendar as a day of liberation, and the city rang with the sounds of merriment and celebration.

The ones responsible for bringing Eneru down and giving people the courage to reveal information about his true nature were never found.

---

"Hey, Zoro."

"What, cook?"

"How many men did you beat back in Shanghai?"

"I dunno, I stopped counting after sixty-nine. You?"

"…sixty-six."

"Heh, I win."

"W-wait! Let's ask Luffy."

"…you just want to bring me down with you, don't you. Pervert."

---

Nami put down her newspaper in disbelief. "You guys are unbelievable in several different ways. For one, you're the unknown saviors of Shanghai." She shook her head in disgust. "But even worse…is what you're doing right now."

"Shishishi! One hundred and six men taken down," Luffy said gleefully as Sanji and Zoro emerged from the women's quarters looking like they wanted to kill someone in a very messy way. Of course that would be hard, with the high heels they were wearing.

Zoro held his swords in his arms in annoyance. "This damned thing doesn't even support the weight of my katana," he growled, adjusting himself. His muscular legs stuck out starkly under one of Nami's demin shorts. He stretched in an attempt to fit more comfortably in one of Vivi's blue button-down shirts, which threatened to pop open with the width of his chest.

"You have nothing to complain about. At least your clothes are color-coordinated, somewhat. And you're not wearing…a…a…" Sanji's voice broke down, as he couldn't even bring himself to say it.

His hairy legs were shown off glamorously under Nami's white miniskirts which, he was ashamed to say, fit very, very well. Over it he wore a bikini top that exposed his pale body to the rest of the world.

"This is the most shameful day of my life…" Zoro groaned.

Luffy laughed as Usopp whistled. "Lookin' sexy, ladies!" the sniper called. Sanji and Zoro immediately began running after Usopp, but failed miserably as they tripped over their heels.

---

"Sir, we've just received reports concerning the group that Roronoa Zoro has been traveling with."

"Bring it to my desk."

…

"Are you sure this is the right report, corporal?"

"Yes, sir. I checked it twice after seeing the contents, but it is without a doubt, Roronoa Zoro. They call themselves the Mugiwara Pirates, under the leadership of a certain Monkey D. Luffy. Apparently, they came from Japan."

"Japan has just been recently opened up, hasn't it?"

"Yes, sir. Commodore Perry has succeeded in opening its ports."

"Check to see if there have been any reports on unusual elements of Japanese culture that may have developed during its isolation."

"Unusual elements, sir?"

"Such as…cross dressing."

---

A/N: I am sorry-very, very sorry-that the fighting scene between Luffy and Eneru was skipped. I just wasn't feeling the fighting flow and didn't want to force it. I'm much more comfortable with someone like Zoro, whose weapons are so convenient for imagery.


	16. A turn for the worst

Zoro was sprawled on the grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny, snoring lustily. The weather was getting to be unbearably hot these days, now that they had sailed around the southern end of China and were approaching what Nami called the Vietnam, according to the maps she had lifted from Shanghai. The spring weather was slowly turning to summer, and that coupled with the humid climates made him tempted to jump into the water every day, just to cool off. He had tried doing that once, but Luffy had insisted on jumping in after him, resulting in a "let's see if we can find the captain in the water before he drowns and dies" rush.

He yawned, enjoying the feeling of the cool grass on his back as he stretched—from his curling toes and his extended legs, to his muscular arms and broad chest. When he heard the sound of sandaled feet approaching him, he grinned as he opened one eye, thinking that Luffy was coming over. When he saw a pair of pale, hairy legs, his smile twisted into a scowl.

"Are you going to sleep all day, marimo, or are you going to help me make lunch?" Sanji drawled, deliberately bending down and blowing a stream of smoke into Zoro's face.

"Go to hell."

"Just looking at you makes me think that I am in hell."

"You want a fight?"

"From you? That wouldn't be a fight. That'd be a tea party."

Five minutes later, the two of them were in the galley after Nami's fists had asked them to shut up and go away.

"I think a nice light salad would be appropriate for the weather. Chilled meats, too, with a bit of mustard sauce to help them sweat a bit," Sanji murmured to himself, pulling a jar from the icebox and a few heads of lettuce. He held one lettuce up and gasped as he looked at Zoro. "Golly, for a second I thought someone had succeeded in decapitating you, but you don't look half as pretty as this."

Zoro grunted as he washed the daikon that Sanji tossed to him. "It's too hot to fight, dartboard."

"Yeah it is hot, huh? I really shouldn't be so attractive, huh."

"…arrogant bastard."

"It's not arrogance if it's justified." Sanji turned to the oven. "It's about to get a lot hotter in here. I need to broil the meat in the oven before I can chill it and serve. Are you up to it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Damn."

As Sanji took a match out and began arranging the kindling in the squat brick oven, Zoro groaned. He was only wearing an undershirt with his military shorts, but it was still way too hot for this kind of stuff. When the heat began to spread throughout the kitchen, he wondered how Sanji could wear that yukata in this heat. Even if it was made of light cotton, it still seemed to be too much for the heat. He grinned when he saw that beads of perspiration were beginning to form at the cook's temples.

"I need you to try and chop these durians that we got from Shanghai," Sanji said, tossing a bulging sack at Zoro. Zoro caught it in both hands and immediately regretted it

"What the hell is in here?" Zoro grumbled, opening the sack gingerly after his hands had been stabbed by its contents. "Spiky fruit? How am I going to open these?"

"Figure it out yourself."

Zoro found a large cleaver and swiftly cracked one of the fruit in half—much to his regret, again. The smell that immediately filled the muggy air was as though someone had died. Both men gagged as the stench filled their noses.

"Why did you get rotten fruit, you shitty cook? Wait, why did you get fruit that tries to kill you rather than the other way around?" Zoro snapped, eyes watering at the attack on his olfactory glands. "Kuso!"

Sanji shook his head. "They're supposed to smell like that. The taste is, um, an acquired one. It's a delicacy in these parts, though. Just scoop out the flesh and I'll make it into a nice side dish."

"You know what this looks like?" Zoro snapped. The obscenities that followed would have impressed any sailor. "That's what I think you should do with it."

Sanji ignored him, hearing the grumbling swordsman quiet down. He looked and saw Zoro taking off his shirt.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sanji snapped, looking away.

"It's hot. I'm taking off my shirt. It's a normal occurrence, I think," Zoro said. "Sorry, ero-cook, it's not for you."

Sanji mopped the sweat that had just decided to start pouring out of his every pore at this moment. "Well…put your shirt back on. No one wants to see…that…" His voice carried away as he saw Zoro's slick body flexing as he worked to open another durian open without impaling himself.

Zoro looked up and cocked an eyebrow. "Something the matter? Maybe the heat's getting to you—your face is all red."

_Don't turn around, don't turn—crap, he's facing me_, Sanji thought with a groan. That perfectly trim physique, that bronze chest, was slashed across by a scar that only seemed to accentuate every ridge and muscle that was Zoro's chest. He saw the way that Zoro's arms tensed, muscles tightening, and loosening as Zoro forced his hands to relax. He saw the beads of sweat that formed, running between his pectorals down his rock-hard abs, to dip into his navel and run down to his shorts where—_Okay, Sanji, calm down,_ Sanji thought desperately. _Don't think any further. _

Sanji turned away. "Just cut the damned fruit already." When Zoro turned back to his task, Sanji sighed silently in relief. It was a good thing that this yukata was so loose and didn't, ah, _reveal_ anything.

Lunch was finally served out on the deck, and Sanji sat as far away from Zoro as possible.

Both were relieved for different reasons.

They sailed for a few days, churning along at a slow pace due to the still air. Nami sighed, glad that the lack of winds at least guaranteed that the weather would not be too foul. She was the one on watch to call, "Everyone, I see land! According to my calculations, we should be arriving in the port of Hue!"

Zoro stood, watching the land mass approaching. Everything had been extremely calm since their run in with Eneru, and he found it to be slightly disconcerting. Wasn't this supposed to be a tumultuous time?

When they saw the first French warships, Zoro grinned. That was more like it.

---

The first battleship they approached didn't give any recognition that the Thousand Sunny had been acknowledged. Of course, that quickly changed when the enormous ships swiftly maneuvered to surround the Mugiwaras once they had sailed far enough into the bay.

One ship moved into position parallel to the Thousand Sunny, and Zoro frowned as he stepped onto the deck in case trouble was coming. He knew that it was risky, flying the Jolly Roger so boldly, but as pirates they wouldn't have it any other way. He tensed, gripping Wado Ichimonji, as he heard the sounds of cannons being readied from every surrounding angle. The flick and sizzle of a match indicated that Sanji had joined him on deck; the scent of tobacco permeated the hot air. Luffy grinned, expecting a grand battle, but was disappointed when he saw the other ship waving a white flag.

"Parley?" Nami said incredulously. "They have us surrounded and ready to spit on a roast. Why would they want to parley?"

Sanji shrugged. "I can't say, Nami-san. It looks like their commander is coming out, though."

Zoro squinted at the man standing on the ship and frowned.

"I know that man."

"You do, Mr. Bushiro?" Vivi asked in surprise.

He nodded, none too cheerfully. "I met him once, on a mission in France. He's in charge of all operations that the government prefers to enact without direct association, if you understand what I mean. _Say-pay neuf."_ He snorted. "Spandam and his pet dogs. The only reason he's ranked so highly is because of his father and that sword of his that he obtained in India. We were never friendly, but nor were we directly opposed to each other." He jumped onto the rail. "Luffy, can you get me to that ship?"

Luffy nodded eagerly. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to bargain with them. It'll be dangerous, though. I want you to return to the Sunny after throwing me there."

Luffy snorted. "Yeah, right. I'm not going to leave my first mate behind."

Zoro swallowed, pushing down the emotion that those simple words had triggered. Zoro checked to make sure that his swords were fastened securely to his waist. "Usopp, I need you to send them a message that says we're going to be coming. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure, Zoro. This is no problem for…Sogeking!" He struck a dramatic pose, and then scrawled a message on a slip of paper and carefully attached it to a light wooden ball. He stuck it into his slingshot, muttering calculations to himself. "No wind, thankfully. The wood should be light enough at this angle to land on the deck."

"…who the hell is Sogeking?" Sanji whispered to the side.

"No idea. Probably another stupid story of his," Nami said, slapping her forehead. "More importantly, what is this say-pay neuf stuff you're talking about?"

The message flew without a hitch, landed, and was read. The flag was waved in affirmative.

Zoro looked at Nami. "_Say-Pay Neuf? _You probably haven't heard of them by their French name. They're also known as CP9."

"Gomu gomu no rocket!"

"Luffy, be careful!" Nami called. "Oh, and you too, Zoro."

"Be careful, you marimo!"

They landed on the deck with surprising grace. Luffy brushed his clothes off, laughing cheerfully, and Zoro looked around at the faces staring at them.

They were unperturbed.

_This is bad,_ Zoro thought. _Either they were expecting Luffy to stretch like that, or they've seen monsters way freakier than him._

The man leading the ship strode forward, standing with what he must have thought was regal authority. Instead, he just came off as an arrogant twit. He wore a powdered wig of the variety that Luffy hadn't even seen in Noh performances and had dark circles under his eyes that were reminiscent of pandas. A heavy and ornate sword hung at his side, decorated with ivory and precious metals.

"Who's this guy, Zoro?" Luffy asked, picking his nose.

Zoro looked at the man, none too happily, and gave a salute. Luffy frowned at the motion—the rigid position and servile connotation to it seemed to be just plain wrong for the proud swordsman. He shouldn't have to give obeisance to a man who clearly didn't deserve it. _He's going to be the best swordsman in the world, yet…he's saluting this scumball,_ Luffy thought angrily. When Zoro gave him a look of caution, he forced himself to relax.

(A/N: Right now they all have the magical power to speak the same language because I'm too tired to translate/use Google. Baaah.)

"Ensign Zoro L'Ollonais reporting to Chief Spandam of the CP9. Requesting permission to dock peacefully in Hue with the ship Thousand Sunny and crew," Zoro barked crisply, his voice neither deferent nor arrogant. His eyes were clear and level; his hands, steady; his body, straight and unwavering.

Spandam looked down at Zoro, sneering at the man. "Well, if it isn't the famous _Demon_ of the _Forte Rhum_. What happened to your ship, eh? I hear that your men all drowned after being sunk while trying to get into Japan. It just goes to show you how scummy all these Eastern countries are, eh, boys?" The men standing behind him howled in agreement. "I mean, you just have to look at our mission to see how deplorable their cultures must be. We have to intervene because they weren't being too friendly to our missionaries. I mean, how dare they raise arms against the words of God?"

Luffy growled, and he could have _sworn_ he saw Zoro twitch—there must have been _some_ imperceptible sign that the man wouldn't stand to be under such a loathsome creature as Spandam. No, he had only imagined it. Zoro still stood as calmly as a great oak, embedded deep and unmoving.

"So, Ensign, give me one good reason I should let you boys go. Especially," Spandam waved, and riffled in the stack of paper that a sailor placed in his hand, "since you're wanted by the World Government." Spandam whistled softly in mock admiration, waving Zoro's bounty poster in his face. "You do realize that the moment this bounty poster came out, you were a wanted man forever? You cannot escape, Ensign. France and the World Government will chase your head until the end of your life."

Zoro closed his eyes briefly, shielding the delicate orbs of his eyes from the flapping edges of the paper. "With all due respect, sir, the Thousand Sunny sails peacefully. There is no reason to halt a ship that has committed no crime for the actions of one man."

Spandam stroked the ivory handle of his sword thoughtfully. "I suppose that I could let your crew go…" His voice trailed off.

Zoro seemed to relax, just a fraction. Luffy realized that Zoro had been as tense as a spring under his calm exterior. "That would be greatly appreciated, sir."

He still had not been allowed to stand down from his rigid saluting position.

Luffy itched all over. His instincts were screaming at him to _Run_ from the ship, to return to the Sunny so they could defend their home properly. Even if they had to use the Coup de Burst to escape the fleet of ships, they would do it.

"Zoro," Luffy said softly.

"Who's your friend here, Ensign?" Spandam's voice was overly cheerful and inquisitive. "A friend?"

Luffy heard the pride in his voice when Zoro responded, "He is my captain, and Head of the Mugiwara Clan."

Yes, he could hear the pride. But other than that, Zoro's voice betrayed nothing.

Spandam chuckled. "Is that so…how very interesting. I think I know exactly what to do. Lucci? Give them the royal treatment."

"Yes, sir."

Zoro stiffened as soon as he heard those words and immediately dropped his act. "Luffy, you have to go. Now!" he shouted.

Luffy swung his arm back as soon as Zoro moved, but froze momentarily. Was that panic in Zoro's voice?

He didn't have time to register anything else, for he heard someone whisper "Soru!" and felt the slight breeze of someone moving behind him. He felt his back being pierced in several places—too many for one person—and felt the world going dark around him. He struggled to stay awake, but as he lost consciousness he gave one attempt to stretch to the ship and give Zoro some means of escape.

His arms didn't make it past the rail before a cruel foot stepped on it, and another booted him in the face. He blacked out, coughing up blood in a ragged gasp.

He thought he heard someone yelling in the background before it slowly faded away.

---

Zoro knew as soon as Spandam uttered those last words that it was time to go, as fast as possible. He turned in alarm, his heart thumping painfully against his ribcage in a quick staccato that was still not fast enough to respond to the situation. "Luffy, you have to go. Now!" he had shouted, unable to control himself any further. He knew the power that Spandam held at his disposal. Luffy had to go. If Zoro stayed, then maybe…

When he saw Lucci run behind Luffy, there was still a glimmer of hope left. Luffy's arm was already moving for a Rocket, and Luffy was a good fighter besides—surely he would be able to sense the killing aura that threatened to suffocate everyone on the ship? Zoro saw the recognition in Luffy's eyes and almost grinned in relief, until he saw that Luffy was hesitating.

What had made him hesitate?

It didn't matter. Luffy's blood was already greeting the hot atmosphere, and Zoro felt himself go cold. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Luffy was supposed to _leave_, and be _safe._

A slight flutter—barely a stirring—of hope was born in Zoro's soul as he saw Luffy try to stretch to the ship. At least one of them would make it out of here alive. He drew his swords, ready to kill the first person who tried to stop his captain from getting back to the Sunny, where Chopper and help resided. He was too heavy for Luffy to take back with him in his current state, and he prayed that he would be able to delay the sailors in time for Luffy to return.

"Soru."

"NO!" Zoro turned reflexively, just in time to see Lucci stamp on the last bit of hope—on Luffy's last lifeline—and kick his captain in the face. A straw hat flew into the air and drifted on some unknown breeze, to be caught in the sails of the neighboring Sunny. Zoro thought he saw Usopp and Chopper clamber up the ropes to retrieve it, and smiled bitterly. At least something had been salvaged.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Spandam? They didn't _do_ anything!" Zoro roared, turning on the Chief of CP9. Said man grinned manically, and shrugged.

"You're all still dirty pirates, anyway. Does it matter?" He began to laugh. "Wahahaha! I think I'll get a nice promotion out of this. 'Chief Spandam captures the renegade Zoro L'Ollonais and an entire crew of pirates in one fell swoop while on a mission to save Christian missionaries in France from the wrath of the natives.' I like it!"

Zoro felt something rumbling deep in his chest, like the shaking in the ground before an avalanche. This grew into a mighty roar that burned his throat and tore at his soul.

"Someone lock him up, would you? Drag the kid who was wearing the straw hat down into the Seastone lockers, too. It's time to unleash the full brunt of justice on his traitor."

"Yes, sir," Lucci said, his mouth opening in an expression that was too cruel to be a smile—no smile could show so many pointed teeth with such malice. He stepped towards Zoro without a trace of menace, saying, "Long time no see, Zoro."


	17. Hello, and goodbye

Zoro saw Lucci walking towards him with such ease, stepping over Luffy like his captain was nothing more than a bit of grime on the floor. The way Lucci leered as he saw Zoro's fury and welcomed it—relished it—made Zoro want to tear the other man's eyes out with his fingernails and make him eat them with a blade. Lucci practically purred in pleasure, savoring the way Zoro was getting riled up.

"You're getting worked up over this boy? I knew you were wild, Zoro, but I never knew you were that much of a fool," Lucci said, making sure to tap Luffy roughly with the toe of one polished, black shoe. "I knew your ideas of justice were idiotic, but I didn't think it would go to the extent of covering this…trash." Lucci's lips curled disdainfully. His face began to contort, growing fur and developing a spotted pattern as it broadened. Whiskers shot out above large, pointed teeth that were licked by a feline's rough tongue in anticipation.

The heavy clash of Shuusui against Lucci's claws rang out in the air, but all else was still to Zoro. He could no longer hear the sound of the creaking wood of the boat, nor the splashing waves and crying seagulls, nor the shouts of his crew as they screamed in the distance.

All he could hear was the last choking gasp Luffy had made before falling, and the wet sound that Lucci's claws had made as they were torn out of the boy's body.

Sandai Kitetsu hummed in its sheath, begging to be let out. Wado Ichimonji sat quietly, knowing that the time for battle was imminent. When they were released, he struck out with such force that he silently apologized to them, promising to be more gentle lest they shatter. The force and brutality of his attack seemed to put Lucci off for a moment, for he stepped back several steps and held his ground.

"_Tekkai!"_ he growled as a blade managed to pierce his defenses. It slid off of his skin harmlessly.

Zoro stood beside Luffy, panting slightly. The bandanna that had made its way over his brow—he couldn't even recall the swift motion that had secured it there—covered his eyes slightly as he looked down at his fallen captain. Small drops of blood that had flown from Luffy's body were swallowed up by a steadily widening pool that would not stop. He sheathed two swords and kept Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, picking Luffy up with a gentleness that belied the ferocity of his swords that he had attacked Lucci with. He gazed at the Thousand Sunny in despair, knowing that his enemies were watching and waiting for him to act, for that would be the moment that they both would be most vulnerable.

He had never felt so furious.

He had never felt so helpless, knowing that only his actions could save his captain, and that time was trickling down his arms in a steadily cooling stream of crimson.

He knew that the Sunny, despite its close proximity, was still too far for him to throw Luffy without risking further injury; nor was it possible for one of his crewmates, not even Chopper in Jumping Point, to traverse without the risk of falling into the water. If only Luffy had not been the one injured…

"I believe that you are in need of assistance, swordsman-san?"

Zoro looked around in alarm, hearing the familiar voice whisper in his ear, yet not seeing the mouth that it belonged to. He heard a morose chuckle.

"Do not worry. You may not see me, but we see you. Drop Captain-san into the water, and do not fear; he shall not come to harm."

Zoro closed his eyes and prayed—to whom, he could not say, for he'd be damned if he would rely on a god to help when Luffy's life was on the line—and steeled himself for an action he hoped would not haunt him for the rest of his life. He took one last look at the wan, pale face of his captain—the man whose stubborn and cheerful nature had saved him from certain death. Monkey D. Luffy, the man who was destined to be Pirate King, and a hammer in the water.

He dropped him.

Zoro watched the slim body fall gently towards the churning depths, gaining speed. He heard the curses of Sanji and sobs of Nami and Vivi as the body fell, and saw Usopp and Chopper screaming for help.

Then, miraculously, something seemed to grow from the belly of the ship. Long tendrils sprouted and reached for the Thousand Sunny, racing against time and gravity to meet with an identical sprout that came from the Sunny. Dozens of arms were being woven together into a safety net that gently cradled the bleeding Luffy and carried him to the Thousand Sunny in safety. Zoro watched until he saw Luffy be pulled on deck and into Chopper's care—he would be safe. Zoro saw a shower of petals disappear beside his ear and saw a small ship that had maneuvered between the larger battleships as the scene on Spandam's ship unfolded, and saw a shock of blue hair waving, accompanied by a large black afro and a wave of hands sprouting from the boat. Robin, Franky, and Brooke had completed their mission and had returned.

Zoro turned and saw the looks of disbelief etched on the faces of the French Marines. He saw that he would have only a moment until they recovered and decided to deal with him. Zoro turned to the Thousand Sunny and took a deep breath.

"ERO-COOK, ARE YOU LISTENING?" Zoro shouted, his voice raw. "I NEED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE WHILE LUFFY'S OUT OF COMMISSION. DON'T LET ANYONE DIE, YOU HEAR? JUST GET OUT OF HERE!"

He heard Sanji screaming back, "ARE YOU INSANE? GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE SO WE CAN LEAVE, YOU MARIMO!"

Zoro turned away. He had said his piece, and he blocked out the obscenities that Sanji was spouting in his frustration.

"Goodbye, Luffy. Thanks for giving me a second chance at a real life. You guys…need to go follow your dream. Explore this world and roam as you please, you pirates." Zoro's voice was soft and unsteady, and he wished he could have spoken to Luffy before sending him off. "You'll do much better now…Pirate King."

Zoro steeled himself for the first wave of Marines. He saw Lucci standing to the side, smirking, waiting for Zoro to tire himself out over the small fry. His soul settled, unnaturally calm, and he slaughtered the sailors as his mind succumbed to an animalistic fury. He didn't notice a second wave of petals fly away as he danced in a shower of blood.

Robin climbed up the ladder onto the deck of the Sunny, leaning against the rail for support.

"Robin? Are you alright?" Franky asked as he clambered up after her. "You don't look so good."

Robin shook her head. "Swordsman-san…" she whispered. "Franky-san, if we are to go by swordsman-san's decision, then we should escape. Now."

Sanji turned to her agitatedly, face red from shouting and voice hoarse. "What do you mean, Robin-chan?"

"He means to sacrifice himself to allow us to carry on."

"Like hell! We're not going to leave without that idiot! Franky, is there any way we can get closer without endangering the ship?" Before the carpenter could answer, Nami interrupted them.

"There's been a severe drop in pressure." Her face was white. "Given the area and climate, that could only mean one thing." She swallowed with difficult, eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she understood what implications her announcement would have. "We are about to be at the scene of a typhoon. Very, very quickly, by the looks of the clouds and the shift in wind. Unless we act quickly, we will be caught and most likely thrown onto the beach or sunk."

Everyone absorbed his news somberly.

"If we were to leave now, we would have a chance of being safe," Usopp said gravely. "But in exchange…"

"We would lose all chance of saving Zoro," Brooke finished, gripping his cane tightly in his bony hands. "But we would in turn be in grave danger, and it might all be for naught."

Silence met their words for a moment as the rising wind jostled them around.

"Who will make the decision?" Nami looked around, eyes dim. "Luffy is unconscious and, unless I heard him incorrectly, Zoro would be his first mate. After that, I can't really say who the decision goes to."

"What would Luffy do?" Usopp said bravely, knees shaking in fear.

"He would want to save Zoro," everyone chorused quietly. They heard a commotion on the deck and turned to see Chopper arguing with Luffy.

"Luffy, I need you to lie still while I treat your wounds!" Chopper said angrily, trying to push Luffy back without aggravating his injuries. Luffy ignored him, practically crawling to the rail in his exertion.

"Where's…Zoro…" Luffy panted, gripping the wooden rails for dear life.

Sanji took a deep pull of his pipe. "He's still on that ship."

Luffy's eyes scrunched together as he frowned in pain. "That…why…_Zoro._" He collapsed, and Chopper quickly scooped him up and carried him away.

"We need to do _something_," Franky insisted.

"I think Luffy-san would want us to get Zoro back. That's the first thing he asked about—Mr. Bushio," Vivi said, coming out onto the deck.

Sanji looked at her and smiled grimly. "Let's get that marimo back, then."


	18. Speak of the Devil

A/N: Since it's been a while since Robin, Franky, and Brooke left the crew on their mission, I'll just remind you where they went (cough Pamplemoose, cough ^^). They went to escort Igaram back to Egypt. As to how they finished so quickly…is a tale for another day. Or chapter. Thanks for reviewing, Pamplemoose!

---

Spandam was staring in horror at the monster that was wreaking havoc on his ship. "Why aren't you doing anything?!" he shrieked at Lucci, who was watching the display with a hint of amusement on his face. When a fleck of blood hit him in the face, he wiped it off and licked his fingers with relish.

"You didn't order me to," Lucci responded blandly, eyes crinkling in a smile as a sailor was impaled and screamed in a horrible crescendo.

"Well then, go and kill him! I don't care if we lose a chunk of his bounty, just stop him!" Spandam howled. "Go, go!" The last sailor fell to the rough wood in a pool of his own life-force, and Zoro turned to them with a manic glint in his eyes. Spandam felt a shiver run down his spine as he felt those black eyes prying into his soul, as though probing for any wrongs he had committed in his life. He was suddenly very glad that he had a man like Lucci under his command, even if he never took the initiative unless he felt like it.

Lucci let out a breath that, if it had been directed at anyone else, would have been perceived as an extremely rude and huffy sigh. Spandam decided to let it go.

Lucci approached Zoro appraisingly, watching the way the other man had changed. Gone was the calm physique and face of the saluting officer; the adherence to custom was gone, as was any drop of sanity that Zoro had possessed.

He wasn't going to fight Zoro L'Ollonais today. Instead, he would have an extremely delectable opportunity to fight the infamous Demon.

Zoro's eyes were red, and he was virtually unharmed from his massacre. His arms bulged with his tense muscles from which the grace had fled, leaving only the savage onslaught of a feral beast. His shoulders were hunched, and the teeth that gripped the white hilt of Wado Ichimonji were bared in a snarl.

Lucci knew about wild animals—he was one himself. But he also knew how to fight them.

"We shall not allow your crew to escape," Lucci said softly, knowing that his words would probably not permeate the scarlet mist that clouded the swordsman's eyes. "We will take your men and execute them as an example to the world. Your women will be enslaved, and used by our soldiers at their own whim. You will be the last to die, after witnessing your comrades being tortured and executed."

Zoro said not a word. But Sandai Kitetsu sought Lucci's throat, which was answer enough.

In the haze of his brain, Zoro was still groggily sorting through the events that had just occurred. Something like this hadn't happened since _that night_, the night that Whitebeard had come. He knew that he would probably regret what he was doing now, but it was better than facing reality.

Better than hearing about Kuina's fall to her death. Better than seeing Luffy's eyes widen as he seemed to reach out to Zoro with one limp hand, falling to the ground and taking Zoro's sanity with him.

_Zoro walked home from the dojo, nursing his forehead after Kuina had mercilessly beaten him again. He gritted his teeth in determination and frustration as he remembered their conversation._

"_You're lucky to be a man, Zoro," she had said, looking at her sword's reflection in the moonlight. "You will only grow stronger. However, as a woman…I will only grow weaker. You will defeat me someday."_

_That was the day they promised that one of them would become the strongest in the world._

Zoro hacked viciously at Lucci, striking the leopard-man's torso, face, and paws indiscriminately. He didn't feel those long claws digging into his arms and face as one paw swiped deep into his belly; wounds were insignificant at this point. Zoro grinned manically as a splash of hot blood sprayed his face, licking his lips around Wado Ichimonji. His spirit was raging, creating strange illusions that made Lucci almost hesitate—it surely was not possible for a man to have three heads, or six arms.

_He smirked, thinking of the training he would have to go through. He didn't hear the sound of raucous partying and yelling men as he approached his home by the harbor._

"_Hey, pretty lady, want to have a little fun?" a coarse voice split the air. Zoro saw women flirting with unfamiliar men, ones he had never seen before in his village. It was rare to see new people. When he saw the Jolly Roger, he understood. He saw the pirates bearing the mark of Whitebeard running through the streets—not intentionally harming anyone or looting or anything, just having what they called fun._

_He didn't find it to be amusing._

Zoro was gradually beginning to regain consciousness as time passed. He was seeing the man he was fighting, and hearing the sounds of the ocean and Spandam's desperate cries.

He felt the first icy-cold stab into his heart as he remembered what Lucci had done to Luffy, and how those claws of his had gone far too close to the heart and lungs for comfort. If only they had been bullets, he thought hazily. He also thought he felt real claws tearing at his chest and belly, seeking vital organs. He must have retaliated, for the sensation disappeared.

_Zoro ran back to the dojo; ran back inland where Kuina and Koshiro-sensei were just inland enough where they couldn't hear the pirates, but not so far inland that they wouldn't be visited. Already, he saw pirates walking around banging on doors and asking if the inhabitants were willing to sell any booze, or asking if the young women would like to "have a little fun." He retched as he smelled alcohol._

_He had seen drunks before, but never men who were as inebriated as these. The local drunkards were all friendly and jovial, or quiet and brooding. None were as violently outrageous as these men._

"_Koshiro-sensei!" he yelled, running into the dojo._

_He saw Koshiro-sensei standing in the doorway, looking stricken._

There was a lot of blood on deck. Zoro was used to this, and faintly wondered if some of it was his. He looked and saw that his katana were drenched with the thick liquid, and that he had sustained quite few injuries thus far.

Strange. There was blood on his hands. He couldn't remember having touched anyone with his hands.

It wasn't his blood, or the blood of a Marine.

It was Luffy's blood. That was the stuff that still coated Lucci's claws and paws, and that had splattered on that thick fur coat to mingle with the blood of the swordsman and his own.

"_Koshiro-sensei? Where's Kuina?" Zoro asked, unsure of himself. He saw signs that the pirates had already been here—a few bottles dropped here or there, a few scuffmarks on the ground, dirty handprints on the walls._

_And Kuina's crumpled body at the bottom of the stairs, after they had pushed their way in and staggered past her while looking for the head of the household. They hadn't heard her shriek as she fell, or the sound that her body made when her soul fled the fragile vessel._

_They had just seen Koshiro stare at them dumbly and then left, grumbling about how none of the houses had any decent grog._

Why was he thinking about that incident? It would only distract him from the matter at hand. He was having trouble fending off Lucci's attacks or even going on the offensive. Was this really how he was going to pay back Luffy's troubles?

It had been his fault that they had had to leave Kyoto so early. If the bafuku hadn't heard about his presence, Luffy and company might have had time to prepare a little more, to say their last goodbyes or do whatever they needed to do. He couldn't even protect his captain—he hadn't even stood a chance against Eneru. All he could do was argue and play stupid games with the chef, or take out a few men that weren't even worth it anyway. It was his fault that Luffy had been exposed to the danger of facing Lucci—if Zoro hadn't insisted upon trying to speak and negotiate in what was, in retrospect, a lost cause, then he would have still been bouncing around in that energetic and idiotic way of his while he decimated a few ships.

If Zoro hadn't been an international fugitive, then the Mugiwaras wouldn't be in half as much danger as when he was on their ship.

He was just starting to get used to that icy ring around his heart, when an iron spike stabbed it.

Was he really fit to claim the title of First Mate of the Pirate King?

_Zoro remembered that that was the first night he had ever tasted sake. He drank, and drank, and drank, despite his age and protests of the barkeeper. He had mingled with the pirates, taking advantage of their drunkenness to drink and forget the horrible sight._

"_If he keeps drinkin' like that, the lad's goin' to have a monstrous alcohol tolerance. Either that, or blood poisonin'," a man had muttered, watching Zoro chug away at the stuff._

_When he finally collapsed on the ground, retching and wheezing, he felt better as he faded away into unconsciousness. One hand reached for his pair of shinaii._

Zoro closed his eyes, and let the Demon take over again. That would feel much better than reliving those horrid memories and facing the reality of what he had just allowed Lucci to do. It had been perfectly preventable. Zoro had known what Lucci was capable of, was on guard, and yet he was unable to stop the assassin right as he was staring at his captain.

_Zoro woke up at the dojo, and saw Koshiro-sensei gazing at him sadly._

"_You put a pain in my heart, Zoro. Don't you know that a true swordsman must never succumb to drink?" he said sadly._

_Zoro sat there, his mouth tasting vile and his head woozy from the previous evening._

_That was when he asked for Kuina's sword, and vowed to carry her dream on._

_Although he didn't share it with his sensei, that was also the night he also vowed to avenge her death._

_Koshiro-sensei never told Zoro about the events that had happened after Zoro had fallen drunk—Zoro himself only learned after he had heard a few of the pirates muttering about it as he walked by the morning after. Apparently, Zoro had risen and begun indiscriminately attacking the pirates, felling a few of them with the bamboo rods in the surprise attack. Despite his size and their power, it had taken a group of the pirates to pin down and incapacitate the flailing boy. There had been whispers of "Demon" and "Devil" among Whitebeard's rank, even for such a little boy, and Whitebeard himself had forgiven the transgression in his approval of Zoro's fighting abilities._

---

Zoro blinked, wondering where he was.

His body ached, although his mind was marvelously clear. Was he on the deck of the Sunny? Maybe it had been turbulent that day, to give him such a…

He saw Rob Lucci impaled on the end of Wado Ichimonji, taking his last breath with one shuddering groan.

He felt his own heart being stabbed as it all came back to him. Maybe it would have been better to have let Lucci take him to be executed.

Then he felt the elephant smack him, throwing him across the deck. Tusks bit into his flesh, making him shudder as his wounds were stretched open. He had already suffered grievous injury from the fight with Lucci—to what extent, he could not say, for he didn't even remember—and now was being beaten down by this elephant, whose enormous feet were crushing his midsection as the tusks swung for another gouging motion.

He was too tired for this. Seeing what had happened to Luffy had drained him, and fighting those sailors hadn't done him any good, either. Rob Lucci had been the last drain on his reserves, and he didn't even have the energy to fight Spandam, whose only advantage was that his sword was an elephant that could trample and stab you while the wielder of the sword held the handle.

He lay still, facing the sky, wondering what was going to happen. He was going to die, he knew, because that's what happened to people who deserted the Marines for piracy and entered Japan illegally, and that's what happened to people who let their captains be mauled by jungle cats. To idiots who couldn't protect a damned thing.

He relished the idea. Maybe he'd get to say hello to Kuina, and duel her. He might win their 2002nd battle, since he was so much bigger than her now.

He grunted derisively; he wouldn't get to go to heaven.

No, he was going straight to Hell.

When he heard a smacking sound, he turned his head slightly to see a whirling mass of blue silk yukata and blond hair strike Spandam under the chin, and he heard a clicking sound as Spandam's teeth were clenched together. Another whirling kick knocked the wind out of the man, and yet another pushed him backwards. The elephant sword was dropped, and Sanji promptly kicked it overboard, where it was just another sword left to rust in the ocean.

Zoro smiled grimly. It looked like he would live to suffer another day.

Oh, well. Might as well get some sleep, then.

---

Sanji dealt Spandam a magnificent kick that would have made Zeff proud. With the sword overboard, the man was basically helpless. Sanji would have felt pity, had it not been for the events this man's actions had led to.

On the other ships, he could see the other Mugiwaras decimating the battleships and using the conquered ships to sink yet more ships. Usopp and Franky were stationed on the Sunny, taking out anyone audacious enough to try and sink the brig. He could see Brooke grappling with a—a giraffe?—and Nami and Vivi taking down a woman covered in bubbles. Chopper seemed to be faring well enough against a man who looked vaguely Japanese; it was hard to tell, with the floating hair and heavy white makeup. Robin was currently finishing off a large man whose hair stuck out to two sides like horns, and as he launched Spandam's broken body over the railing with a mighty kick, he saw Franky grappling with an owl-like man who had managed to pass their defenses and board the Sunny. He ran off when he saw a wolfish man eagerly sailing closely to the Sunny—too closely for comfort.

Sanji ran and found Zoro out cold, covered in bite wounds and gouges from Lucci's thick claws. Dark bruises were already forming on the swordsman's tanned face, and the blood that ran down Zoro's cheeks were mingled with a clearer liquid—tears. He wiped Zoro's precious swords as well as he could and returned them to their respective sheathes, silently promising to clean them once the whole battle was over. He threw Zoro over one shoulder, wincing as he felt a stream of blood run down his back as he heard Zoro cough, and leapt into the shopping boat he had used to board this ship in the first place. Once on board, he returned to the Sunny and got ready to kick some serious wolf ass.

Meanwhile, the wind was gaining speed and dark clouds were starting to form overhead.


	19. Wake up, sunshine

The Sunny was one of the last ships still afloat, bobbing in the water like a toy ship in a child's bath. The very large bathtub of a violent, screaming child with lungs like a bellows that could sink the ship at any moment, that is. Nami put her Clima Tact aside as she leapt onto the Sunny after dispatching Kalifa; Vivi quickly followed suit. They found the rest of their crew waiting for orders on how to navigate through what was quickly becoming a watery death trap. The waves were rapidly growing in size, throwing everyone about even as they secured ropes around their waists, and Nami quickly assessed the situation.

"We've lingered for far too long," she muttered to herself, knowing that even docking in the harbor couldn't save them. They would only be safe out at sea, far enough from the storm that they would only be roughed up rather than thrown ashore and torn apart on the hard earth and thick jungles. But to try and sail so far out with so little time against such an overwhelming force was nigh impossible.

"Doctor-san says that captain-san will survive," Robin said, uncrossing her arms as she recalled one of her eyes in the sickbay. Another eye was formed on each of the ships of the CP9 members that they had defeated, to ensure that there was no retaliation. "He also said that he will begin patching up swordsman-san right away…"

They had found Zoro tucked away on a corner of the deck, out of the harsh winds and away from the danger of battle. Sanji had rushed to his side after kicking Jyabura off the ship and into the ocean, and had practically kicked down every door that blocked his path to the sickbay.

"Your eyes really do see everything, don't think?" Nami said with a weak smile. "Wait." Something dawned on her. "The eye. There's a slight chance…Franky!" she called.

"Yeah, Nami-sis?" he yelled back, coming down from the wheel. "You got any ideas?"

Nami took a deep breath, knowing how ridiculous this would sound. "If the storm doesn't move too much, there's a slight chance that the Sunny can survive. We have to find the eye of the storm."

"Are you crazy? We'd have to break through the eyewall—the strongest part of the storm, where the highest winds and most violent thunderstorms rage!" Franky sputtered, gently stroking the wood of the Sunny protectively. "There's too much risk!"

"If we don't, we'll sink either way," Nami responded flatly. "We can't use the Coup de Burst anymore. We won't be taken far enough out of the storm—we might even be carried inland by the wind."

Franky's knuckles turned white as he clenched his hands into fists. "If that's the only way…then let's do it."

---

Luffy felt awful. His limbs were leaden and impossible to lift, and his head throbbed every time the ship bucked with the force of the surf, which threw the ship back and forth like a wild bronco. His back…well, Chopper must have given him some of the happy juice, because it was blessedly numb. He opened his eyes blearily and tilted his head over, seeing a furry behind facing the opposite bed. Another rock of the ship sent him back into the oblivion.

When he woke up again, he felt a sense of déjà vu. There was the same furry backside, although the ship wasn't moving so much.

Chopper turned around and faced Luffy with a look of pure delight. "You're awake! I didn't expect you to even stir for at least a few more days. How are you feeling, Luffy?" Luffy noticed that Chopper kept his voice down, as though afraid to disturb someone.

Who else was sleeping in the sickbay? That's what the hammocks in the sleeping quarters were for.

"Zoro!" Luffy shot straight up. At least, he would have, had his back not sent a complaining shriek of pain running through his torso.

"Luffy, don't move! I had to operate on you in a freaking storm! Do you know how hard it is to check if your lungs have been punctured when the scalpel keeps vibrating?" Chopper cried, pushing Luffy back into a reclined position.

"Where's Zoro?" Luffy demanded as well as he could while lying on his back. Something about the way that Chopper avoided his eyes made something inside of his chest squirm. "He's here, right? I'm here, so he must be on the Sunny too."

Chopper grew into his human form, blocking whatever was behind him from Luffy's view. "Ah, Luffy, maybe you should get some more rest…" he suggested timidly.

"Damnit, Chopper, why won't you tell me what happened?" Luffy cried, a chord of anguish escaping his throat. He stopped, trying to control himself. It was one thing to know that your nakama was injured, but another to not even know anything at all.

The sound of footsteps and an opening door signaled the entrance of another person. Luffy smelled the tobacco and fragrant wood of a polished pipe and knew who it was.

"The marimo…" Sanji muttered, "took down every man on that ship you were on. He would have killed Spandam too, had it not been for his fight with Lucci. I eventually made my way on the ship and knocked that bastard out and brought that idiot back, but…" He swallowed, the pipe quivering on his lips. "He's hardly breathing. His temperature rose in a fever for two days and dropped drastically the next three. He hasn't woken up, and we can't feed him except with a bit of thin soup dribbled down his throat."

Sanji gently pushed Chopper aside to reveal the swordsman lying on the adjacent bed, wrapped up like some grotesque gift.

Every inch of the man's body was swathed in clean, white bandages. Even the swordsman's face was wrapped up, giving him the appearance of a mummy ready to be buried. His swords rested against the bed, looking lonely without Zoro to wear and wield them. Sanji had insisted on cleaning them meticulously, allowing not a single drop of blood or dirt to remain on blade of hilt, even while Nami had screamed at him to help them navigate through the typhoon. He lay perfectly still, save for the slight rise and fall of his chest that was the only indication that he was alive. A basket filled with bloodied rags and bandages, empty medicine bottles, spools of thread with hardly a single fiber left after being used to stitch up the swordsman, and bowls of warm water were arranged all around the bed. The three golden earrings that usually tinkled with Zoro's own graceful movement or chimed in the wind were still.

Luffy groaned in disbelief, trying to lift his arm to clutch the sharp pain in his chest that made him cough and sputter as he gazed at his swordsman—the foreigner that he had made his first mate.

"He…he'll live, right? Of course he'll live! He's Zoro. He's strong," Luffy said rapidly, breath short, as he began to hyperventilate.

"O-of course he will, Luffy," Chopper said tremulously. Luffy felt something prick on his arm and fell into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

---

A few days later, Zoro woke up.

_I feel like a shit that's been stepped on by a mob_, he thought darkly, eyes squinting as he tried to lift his heavy lids. _No sharp pains, but just a freaking ache all over. Why does my arm feel so heavy?_ He stiffened. Was his arm out of commission? Would he be forever crippled as a one-armed swordsman?"

Slowly, not sure if he'd like what he'd see, he looked at his arm to see a large, fuzzy, black ball of mold growing on his arm.

"AUGH!" Zoro yelled hoarsely, trying to shake it off somehow. The slight movements of his arm made the black mold roll over with a whine, before continuing to snore lustily.

Wait. Snoring?

"Get off of my arm, Luffy," Zoro moaned. "You're cutting off the circulation."

"Nngh…nani? Zoro? Zoro! You're up!" Luffy's eyes were wide with shock, and Zoro flat-out refused to recognize the glittering at the edges of his captain's eyes as tears. "I'm…I'm really glad you're awake, Zoro."

Zoro chuckled but immediately regretted it. His throat had been raw and dry before he had yelled so unceremoniously at the sight of Luffy, and now it felt like someone had run their fingernails down the delicate tissue. He began to cough. "Cough…baka…what…cough…the hell…cough…"

"Don't talk!" Luffy interrupted. "You've been sleeping for a whole _week!_ Do you know how long that is?"

"Um, yeah. It's a week," Zoro rasped with a grin.

"Stop complaining, Luffy. You were only conscious yourself two of those days," Sanji said as he swept into the room with a tray balanced on one hand. "Go into the galley to eat with the rest of the crew. You can talk after the marimo's had a bite to eat." When Luffy looked longingly at Zoro for a moment, he bolted after smelling the meal from the kitchen and seeing the tic forming on Sanji's forehead.

"Here. Thin rice gruel, with finely-chopped seafood and plenty of vegetables to nourish you. Eat up," Sanji said, regretfully tapping his pipe as he put it out. Chopper had practically mauled him after he had tried to visit with the thing lit. "First, drink some water. We've had a hard time keeping anything from choking you when he tried to feed you."

"Gruel? Isn't that what they feed prisoners?" Zoro grumbled as he guzzled the clear, cool liquid greedily. His throat felt much better, although now he realized that his stomach needed filling.

"Just be glad that you're alive to eat anything. Gruel happens to be very nutritious and easy to digest, if you make it correctly," Sanji retorted sourly. "It's just like you to complain the minute you wake up."

As Zoro ate, Sanji looked closely at the man's face—he was much too thin and pale for comfort. Already, Sanji was imagining what kinds of meals he'd have to prepare specially for the swordsman. Liver to help stimulate blood production and to rebuild muscles, vegetables for all those vitamins, thick stews with chunks of beef and lentils…

"Oi cook, you listening? I said, that was pretty damned tasty," Zoro said as he patted his stomach contently. He belched, blowing the air into Sanji's face.

"Oh, god, that stinks. What the hell did you do that for? See if I ever make a meal for you again," Sanji grimaced, waving the air away.

"Now you know how I feel whenever you light up."

"Oi," Sanji protested, and began to laugh despite himself.

"What?" Zoro said in alarm. He had expected the cook to start arguing with him, not to _laugh_.

"Don't ruin the moment, marimo."

"What moment?"

Sanji grinned as he scratched his chin. "I'm just freaking glad that you're still alive, Zoro."

Zoro looked suspiciously at the cook. The kind words, the use of his given name…

"Oi! You poisoned this gruel, didn't you? You're trying to finish me off!"

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Idiot, if I want to kill you all I need is my legs. I don't ever mess around with food like that." He stood, taking the empty bowl and glass. "You still hungry or thirsty?"

"I could use a bottle of sake."

Sanji left, still laughing.

After Chopper had finished his last checkup of the day and declared that Zoro was definitely going to get better, "No questions about it," Zoro dozed off.

When he woke up in the middle of the night, tossing fitfully on the bed, he woke up, wheezing.

He saw the glow of a pipe and the dim light of a candle as Sanji pressed a finger to his lips. The cook was leaning back in a chair, covered with a blanket and listening to the sounds of the ship at night.

_Hush._ That same finger moved and gestured to the bedstand.

A bottle of sake and two saucers were waiting.


	20. Recuperation

A/N: I hate finals. Bah.

---

"Chopper. Let me out. Now."

The little reindeer stood firmly in front of the door, glaring at the man towering over him. A green eyebrow twitched.

"I'm SICK AND TIRED of being treated like an invalid. I can move. I can walk around this tiny little cabin without dropping dead. I've been eating like Luffy and not moving, and I _need to see the sunshine, damnit!_"

Crap. Did the world's Soon To Be Strongest Swordsman In The World just confess his desire to see the sunshine? Next he'd be spouting about how he wanted to hear the birds singing (although all they really got to hear out at sea was the occasional seagull shrieking close to shore) and butterflies flying around the mikan blossoms.

Chopper switched to his human form, now easily standing on par with the aggravated swordsman.

"No!"

That defiant utterance was the last straw. They were found wrestling on the ground by a harried Nami—who complained that she couldn't finish her maps with all the commotion—and a laughing Luffy. Luffy had been laughing a lot these days; full, rich laughter that rang in the clear air with mirth and glee.

Zoro managed to pin Chopper under one leg and used the other to lift himself and dash out the door, slamming it quickly behind him (much to the chagrin of a certain navigator). He ran out onto the deck and gaped.

He'd been cooped up in the infirmary for nearly two weeks. During that time, he'd heard accounts from the rest of the crew about how they had managed to survive a typhoon.

He hadn't thought that the damage would be this bad.

The mast still stood firmly, but the windows to the crow's nest were shattered and the walls were badly beaten. The grass on deck was reduced to a vast pit of mud that Luffy had turned into a sort of disgusting pool. Luffy would jump in, roll around "like a pig," according to Nami, and then proceed to run through the ship.

All this was done butt naked, of course, because "That's the way real men should live!" (according to Luffy).

Nami had shrieked and blushed at the sight, because even a thorough wallowing in the thick mud couldn't cover _everything_. Her fist had sent him flying, creating a streak of mud on the floorboards and wall that clearly defined every inch of him when he hit the wall face-first. Robin only chuckled and watched in interest as Franky nodded in approval.

Besides this strange sight, there was also driftwood and all sorts of sea-trash that had washed up on every available surface, including an octopus that Luffy immediately dumped into the aquarium upon discovery. The paint had been literally pulled off of the ship, leaving it peeling and dripping until Franky or Usopp could see to it. The sails were drenched and had gaping holes; in some places, they were hanging by a few ropes that were fraying.

Zoro stood in the doorway, astonished at all the destruction that the storm had wrought during his slumber. _This_ was how bad a shape the Sunny was in after the crew had been cleaning up for two weeks.

Looking around to see if Chopper was chasing him, he stole into the men's dormitory to change and went back on deck to immediately help everyone clean up. It was one of the first calm days yet, and everyone was out there to help. Chopper eventually allowed Zoro to stay after ordering him to stick to clearing the deck of driftwood and the like.

Zoro heaved another tree—it must have been pulled from the shore—over the rail when Chopper turned around and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He saw everyone laughing and working together, squabbling when Luffy would drop a can of paint or when Sanji would trip into the mud over Franky's suspiciously outstretched leg when Sanji tried to woo Robin.

Zoro grinned; everyone was together again. He could imagine what it had been like back at Kyoto—Franky and Usopp building their crazy inventions while trying to keep Luffy from breaking them; Brooke's idiotic jokes; Chopper's paranoia towards his patients (Since when was it dangerous for a man who had been gored to lift weights? Sheesh); Nami's money-hungry attitude and strange friendliness to paying customers; Robin's polite laugh behind one hand; Usopp's outrageous lies; Luffy's demands for meat and silly antics, while wrestling with that monster of a grandfather of his.

Luffy. He was so childish most of the time that it was remarkable how serious he could get. Zoro knew that Luffy didn't think he saw, but he definitely did see. Zoro saw how Luffy's eyes would darken sometimes when Zoro's back was turned, probably contemplating what had happened on Spandam's ship. When he stopped laughing so heartily, he would be unusually silent and even brooding on his own time. Other times, Luffy would wake up stifling a cry in a rubbery fist, hoping that no one had heard him yelling in his sleep. How did Zoro, the normally deathly sleeper, hear this?

He couldn't sleep, either.

His dreams were haunted by a myriad of dreams—some that made sense, and some that didn't. He saw Kuina falling down the stairs, even if he hadn't actually seen it happen. He saw Luffy being impaled, which he definitely did see. Sometimes he saw Kuina stabbing Luffy, or Luffy pushing Kuina down the stairs. Or, he saw Lucci slaughtering them both before eating their faintly-beating hearts.

That was usually the point when he'd wake up. When he was drenched with cold sweat, shivering while his forehead was hot and flaming, Zoro would listen to the rest of his crewmates in the still air of the ship's belly. Chopper's high-pitched little whistles, Usopp's low snores, Sanji's grating rumble, Brooke's lusty roar, Franky's rumbling baritone. Sometimes, he would hear Luffy snoring just as loudly and peacefully as the rest of them; sometimes, he would hear Luffy's snorting breath as he kept his mouth stuffed and shaky breath stifled.

But at the moment, everything was peaceful. Everything was…just right.

"By the way, Nami," Zoro turned to the red-headed navigator. "Where the hell are we?"

---

During the period during which Zoro (and Luffy, for a part) was sleeping, the crew had had an absolutely hellish time keeping themselves alive. The typhoon had tested Nami's navigational skills and nearly broken the woman as the winds resisted their attempts to cut through the water. They had found the eye of the storm with little difficulty—it was getting through the wall of the eye nearly killed them. The storm pounded upon the Adam wood with such force that it was surprising that there weren't raindrop-shaped dents all over the ship. Lightning hit the mast, decimating the crow's nest and shattering the glass, which fell in a dangerous shower that was hard to distinguish from the torrent of rain. The swirling tides were confusing, and more than once Nami almost put them on a path that would have definitely thrown them aground on the distant shore. Ropes were taut as everyone was thrown around, and manning such a large ship was no easy feat with three of them unable to work: Luffy and Zoro had been asleep for the brunt of the storm, and Chopper was confined to the infirmary because he was the only one who could adequately treat the injured. No one voiced their thoughts aloud about how there would be no one injured if they all drowned.

When they finally struck the eye of the storm, it was like passing through a sheet of chaos into a plane of tranquility.

It was not perfectly peaceful; the waves were still decidedly choppy. The wind had died down, trapped in the whirlwind of the eyewall, and the rain was concentrated everywhere except for this small haven. They had sailed with the eye, following it wherever it decided to wreak havoc, and were alarmed to find it approaching shore. They were gradually being forced closer to land, knowing that the moment they passed through the eyewall again, it would mean certain death.

When the storm finally dissipated, they found themselves bobbing in the water at a completely different port. They were still in Vietnam, but had been guided by the typhoon to this port as though to guide them away from the horrors of the Marines. They restocked, recuperated, and rested before sailing out again.

That's when Luffy woke up (after he had been calmed by Chopper's sedative).

Now, they were sailing in the waters near Singapore, and it was at this point that Zoro woke up.

Which brings us back to the present.

---

"Zoro! What are you _doing?_ Do you want to reopen your wounds and get infected and die of gangrene or get amputated?" Chopper squealed, gasping after yelling in one long stream without stop. "I told you not to do anything strenuous!"

Zoro looked at the weights in his hand. They were only his second-largest weights, nothing to fret over.

Then he saw the blood running down through his bandage and decided that he deserved the prick that was the sedative that Chopper had savagely stabbed into his arm.

Where did all the gentle doctors go?

---

Zoro woke up, yet again, staring at the ceiling of the infirmary. Instead of seeing the cuddly little reindeer, he saw a curly eyebrow that waggled as Sanji raised it incredulously. Zoro felt an urge to retch as the swirly eyebrow made him dizzy.

"You're an idiot, did you know that?" Sanji said, puffing on his pipe. When Zoro looked pointedly at it, Sanji snorted. "Everyone's in town right now. We're docked at the Port of Singapore right now. It's one of the biggest ports in the world—I bet there are hordes of ladies just waiting for me to come to their rescue!" Sanji ground on his pipe. "But here I am, stuck babysitting you until the others come back."

Zoro snorted derisively. "I don't want to see your ugly mug here, either. I can take care of myself. Go and flirt or whatever." Zoro stumbled out of bed, pulling off the yukata Chopper had seen fit to put on him—most likely Sanji's, since it was so tight around the shoulders—and pulled on a set of his old French military shorts and a cotton shirt whose sleeves he had cut off. He stretched his arms luxuriously, glad to be able to move around again.

"That's much better. Are you going then, ero-cook?" Zoro asked as he turned around.

He was alone in the room. Sanji had fled the room, leaving a trail of blood to the bathroom. Zoro jumped out the door in panic, banging on the door to the bathroom. The faint sounds that Zoro could hear convinced him that he really didn't want to see what was going on in there.

Zoro strolled back on the deck, seeing Nami chasing Luffy around holding a rolled-up newspaper in one hand. He deftly snatched it out of her hands and began to read, with Nami turning to him and smacking him while he calmly perused the pages. One title in particular caught his eye.

"Whitebeard Pirates spotted in Mediterranean Sea, and rumored to be moving south," Zoro read out loud, brow crinkling as he read. Nami stopped beating Luffy for a moment and looked up. Luffy quickly scampered off the ship, presumably to find Usopp and Chopper.

"Are you keeping tabs on Whitebeard?" Nami asked, eyebrow raised. "You might want to be the strongest in the world, but isn't that aiming a little high for your condition at the moment?"

Zoro ignored her, reading the article. "Tch, just like Whitebeard. No reported casualties at any of their stops. Nothing's ever reported, is it?" Zoro muttered savagely. "How long will it take us to get to…" He paused, trying to remember the area around there. Suddenly, he remembered Vivi. "Ah! How long will it take us to get back to Egypt?" _If I remember correctly, Egypt and the Mediterranean should be near one another,_ he thought.

Nami disappeared into her map room and returned with a faded sheet of parchment. "If this map is accurate, I'd say that it should take us another few weeks. If we were to leave today with enough stocks, we could possibly make it there in a single trip. Of course, knowing our captain, we'll be forced to make a pit stop here or there. Why?"

Zoro's brain raced, racking up an excuse. "Well, the sooner the better right?"

"I didn't think you'd be so caring, Zoro," Nami said suspiciously. Before she could question further, she saw Luffy running towards the ship in a cloud of dust and chaos.

"NAMI! LET'S GET READY TO GO!" Apparently, Luffy was healed sufficiently to run and yell as rambunctiously as he normally did. Behind him, the rest of the crew was running towards the ship—Sanji kept trying to kick Luffy as he dragged the shopping cart behind him.

"That _idiot_," Nami and Zoro growled, moving to begin preparing the ship to sail.

"GET THAT BOY!" someone screamed. "MY BEST PRAWNS ALL _EATEN _IN ONE BITE! THOSE WERE FOR LIEUTENANT FULLBODY!"

"The curry that I've been stewing for days is gone!"

"My hainanese chicken rice!"

"The fishball noodles my grandmother made for me!"

"Get him! Dine and dasher!"

---

As the Thousand Sunny sailed smoothly away from the docks crowded with angry chefs and vendors, Luffy found himself being beaten by his own crew.

"Mugiwara! Do you know how hard it is to carry glass sheets without a single scratch or crack? It's hard to find glass of this quality on the sea!" Franky's enormous fist kept bouncing up and down over Luffy's head.

"You shitty bastard! I had almost convinced that lovely shopkeeper to allow me to, ah, _peruse_ her goods!" Sanji yelled, his voice fading away to a rather creepy-looking smile.

Even Robin didn't look very happy. She held up a book that looked positively ancient, with something brown staining its cover and pages. "Luffy-san, have you ever seen a copy of the Gutenberg Bible?" she asked quietly, her eyes hooded by her long bangs. Everyone beating Luffy froze, and even Luffy was looking nervous as everyone backed away from him.

"Er, no, I've actually never seen…" Luffy stammered, looking around desperately for some means of escape. His face fell when the other Mugiwaras grinned evilly and formed a ring around him, preventing his escape. Four arms grabbed his limbs, keeping him from latching onto the mast above as a means of escape.

Robin smiled eerily. "That's because it's one of the rarest books in Europe. It was the first to be printed with a moving press." One hand held Luffy's head down, while another spread his legs apart. "To have found it in a second-hand bookstore at such a low price and in such good condition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But then you spilled hot curry sauce on it."

"Robin, maybe that's going a little too far. Not his…_kintama_?" Franky said, in ghastly awe of what she was going to do.

"Ooh," the other men groaned, reflexively covering their own jewels with their hands.

"Dos fleur," Robin muttered, two hands popping out of Luffy's thighs.

"That's too cruel, Robin! Wasn't once enough?" Franky protested.

"Even if he was a total dumbass, doing _that_," Usopp muttered, aghast.

"Robin's so scary," Chopper mumbled from behind Zoro.

Zoro looked around in confusion. "What's she going to do?"

"_Grab._" Robin's hands grabbed, and everyone fell back, wincing at the words.

Luffy looked down. "Eh? It doesn't hurt."

Robin looked at him, more fascinated now than angry. "Hm…" Her hands moved back and forth, pulling.

"Oh my god, that's just not right."

"Seriously. It's like watching a cat play with a mouse."

"He doesn't look like he's in pain. Is he enjoying this?"

"She looks like she's enjoying this, too."

Robin shrugged, hands disappearing. "It appears as though it does not affect rubber men. All he does is stretch."

---

A/N: So I'm going to end this chapter on a lighter note. I'm going to give the Mugiwara crew a bit of a break before subjecting them to anything heavier, for now.


	21. Sanji

The creaking timbers of the ship rocked in tempo with the rise and fall of the swelling sea. The Thousand Sunny was cruising along in the hot wind of the summer waters of the Indian Ocean. The past few days had been calm; after the turmoil of the typhoon, few ships were on the sea as they recuperated.

"Nami-sis, we need to stop at an island to fix the Sunny up a bit," Franky called from his workshop. The space was cluttered with barrels and buckets of paint and tar, sheets of glass carefully wrapped in soft cloth and burlap sacks, and other materials. "We didn't have time at the last port because of a certain _someone_, and an uninhabited island would be good so the last fiasco won't be repeated. The Sunny's crying right now!"

Nami flipped through her maps, wincing as she saw another fleck of paint flying away on the wind. "There should be a small island in the south. There doesn't seem to be a city marked on the map, but there might be a small unmarked village. How does that sound?"

"Super!"

(A/N: C'mon, it's Franky. How could I not put that in there?)

"Aw, Nami, that sounds boring," Luffy whined as he hung from the railing upside-down. His head hung down as his neck stretched, and Usopp was painting it in a giraffe-skin pattern. "Look! I'm a giraffe! Kirin, kirin!"

"Yohoho, you strongly resemble that young man I parried with! Quite a fighter, and a Zoan-fruit user to boot!" Brooke chuckled jollily. "He almost killed me! But of course, I've already died! Yohohoho, Skull joke!"

Sanji swept out of the kitchen, carrying his customary tray of fruity beverages for the ladies, and served his load with a flourish. "Jellied peaches with clear rum and cream for my lovely blossoms," he said graciously, arranging an umbrella so that Nami, Vivi, and Robin were shaded from the sun.

Zoro snored softly under the shade that the deck provided, and Sanji sauntered down holding his tray easily under one arm.

"Marimo-kun, you shouldn't sit in the shade," Sanji chided him mockingly, tapping the man softly in the side where the swordsman wasn't bandaged. When Zoro raised an eyebrow in sleepy irritation, Sanji chuckled. "If you want to photosynthesize properly, you should be in the sunlight."

"You picking a fight, question mark?"

Sanji flopped down beside Zoro on the cool grass, much to Zoro's surprise.

"Marimo," Sanji murmured softly, looking at the clear blue sky in pleasure. "No wonder you sleep here all the time. It's lovely."

Zoro peered at the cook peculiarly. "Did you eat one of those weird durian fruits, to be so addled? Maybe it's the heat. Definitely the heat."

"Shut up and enjoy my company."

They lay there quietly, in a quiet and secluded bubble away from the other crewmembers. It was one of those rare moments that Zoro felt that he could talk about anything with the normally irritable cook, and he was sure that Sanji felt the same.

"Hey, cook…" Sanji looked up to see Zoro peering at him with a most unusual look on his face. He couldn't quite place the emotion in that face, darkened by exposure to the sun and weathered by sea-spray. "What are you fighting for?" Zoro asked simply.

Sanji puffed on his pipe, staring at the sky. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, but why do you follow him so ardently?"

Sanji shifted his position, thinking back to the first time he had met the energetic man.

_Sanji sat by himself away from the other orphans. The monastery he lived at was not lacking in anything that a growing child needed to survive—food, water, shelter, and lessons from the grumpy old monks—but the company was severely lacking. There was a large group of orphans living there, to be sure, but they all shunned him. They mocked his bright "pee-yellow" hair and his "snail-eyebrow." His pale skin was "Like a geisha!" The other children had rarely ever been physical with him, but now that they were beginning to grow up with little chance of being adopted, puberty was hitting and the other boys were getting rougher. Sometimes he'd be in the bath and he'd be pushed across the slippery floors; at other times, he would be playing by himself and find himself elbowed or kicked by a passing group of children._

_The only comfort he had was in his chores; the old monk, Zeff, knew his pain—it was Zeff who had brought Sanji to the orphanage. There were rumors that the cranky old man wasn't ethnically Japanese—but in his old age, who could really tell anyway? The chef made scrumptious meals with the monastery's sparse budget, and even the head monk wouldn't speak against such earthly pleasures. Sanji was allowed to learn from Zeff, in exchange for an unspoken agreement that he would replace the old man once he kicked the bucket._

"You grew up in an environment where lust is pretty much banished, yet you're such a womanizer," Zoro said dourly. "Ironic."

"Let me finish reminiscing, you aho."

_Sanji had been washing crusty old dishes in the courtyard when he saw a small hand gripping the wall tightly. He stared in wonder; the walls were high enough to keep intruders out and small children in, but the hand couldn't have been larger than his own. He saw a flash of bright yellow and his heart leapt for a moment—the idea that someone else could have the same blond hair as he did made him feel a little better about himself. He sighed when he saw the normal shade of black hair sticking out from under the yellow. The kid was wearing a straw hat._

"_Whatcha doing?" the kid asked, picking his nose as he hung from the wall._

"_Washing dishes. How'd you get up there?" Sanji asked, staring._

"_I stretched. See?" The boy pulled his cheeks apart, grinning as Sanji gaped in astonishment. "But don't tell anyone 'cuz Shanks told me to keep it a secret. I'm Monkey D. Luffy. What's your name?"_

"_S-sanji," he sputtered._

"_Got a last name?" Luffy asked curiously._

"_Nah. I dunno who my parents are," Sanji said morosely. "I'm…an orphan."_

"_Humm…that won't do. I'll see you later!" Luffy jumped back down on the other side of the wall, and Sanji sighed._

"This is the most boring anecdote I've ever heard. Who tells a story about washing dishes?" Zoro grumbled.

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there…"

_Sanji waited in excitement for a few days, but gradually accepted that the boy wasn't going to return. He had been able to endure the jabs that the others had made at him for that long. It wouldn't kill him to wait a little longer._

_Then, one day, the normally silent monastery was disturbed by a great ruckus. The monks were practically running everywhere, cleaning and neatening up the place._

"_What's going on?" Sanji asked, tugging on Zeff's belt._

_The old monk looked down at Sanji with a slight smile. "An old friend of mine is coming to visit. Of course, they don't know that, but he's a pretty well-known merchant."_

_They turned to see the great walls of the temple opening, to reveal two figures. One was tall and slightly lopsided—he was missing an arm. The other was short and grinned excitedly as he looked around, his straw hat stark against his black hair._

"_See, I _told_ you I'd find the right temple!" Luffy pouted, looking up at his idol. Shanks grinned as he rubbed the boy's head._

"_Yeah, but it took you days to find it again. Just what were you doing, coming all the way out here?" Shanks laughed._

_Sanji stared. The man's hair was red._

"_Look! It's him! C'mon, Shanks!" Luffy cried, dragging the other man. "Sanji! Sanji!"_

_Sanji walked forth slowly, mouth slightly open. "What're you doing here, Luffy?"_

"_I told you I'd be back! This is Shanks, my dad. Well, technically, my foster dad," Luffy rambled on. "But it doesn't really matter, 'cuz he's Shanks."_

"_Zeff!" Shanks approached the cook with his hand outstretched. "It's been a long time, friend. I didn't know you were still alive, poisoning people with your cooking. Only ascetic monks could stand your food."_

"_Shut up, you giant eggplant. We're only friends because we're both missing limbs," Zeff grumbled. "What brings you around here? I thought you lived on another island."_

"_My boy here wanted to bring me here for…well, you can probably guess." Shanks looked around. "Is he the only child?" he inquired, gesturing to Sanji._

"_No, the others are playing. Why?"_

_Shanks took Zeff aside, and Sanji kept staring at the bouncing boy before him._

"_I tooold Shanks that I knew where it was, but he kept saying 'Nooo, it's impooossible for you to have travelled on another island when you can't even swim, nya.' He's so mean sometimes."_

"_But…why are you here?" Sanji couldn't fathom why they'd travel all this way._

"_Well, you're an orphan right? How'd you like a new last name?" Luffy said nonchalantly. "Mugiwara Sanji. How's that sound?"_

_Sanji stared, then turned red. "That's not funny, you shitty bastard." He'd often heard Zeff saying those words when he accidentally messed up on a recipe._

_Luffy stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean? I'm serious. I want you to be part of my family. We may not be blood—"_

"_How can you just come in here and…and…adopt me like some dog?" Sanji cried. He had wanted to have a family for so long, but the parents that came in always ignored him, looking for 'normal' children. "I can't leave, I have a duty here! Once the old man—"_

"_I'll live for a long time, baby eggplant," Zeff interrupted, limping over with Shanks. "Shanks here has just filled me in. You sure you want this little bugger?"_

_Shanks nodded. "I trust Luffy's instincts. I'm always open to new members of the family—you know that, Zeff. Remember…?"_

"_Aye, I remember. That lass, your last letter said that she's adjusting well, isn't she?"_

"_She's fitting in quite well now that she's away from the bad influence of those other children. Poor child."_

_Sanji walked out of the monastery after bidding Zeff a tearful goodbye. He couldn't believe that he was now Mugiwara Sanji._

"So…he just walked in, adopted you, and walked out?" Zoro asked incredulously. "But his surname is Monkey. Are you a Monkey or a Mugiwara?"

"I know, I still can't believe it myself. I thought they were weird, to do stuff like that, but then…well, things with that family were always weird. I got used to it. But if it wasn't for Luffy, I'd still be stuck at that monastery, cooking for old farts that can't tell the difference between herbs and spices. As for the surname…well, no one really bothers with it. It's more of a spiritual connection or something, you know? We don't have to call each other the same thing to feel bonded."

"That's just like Luffy, to do something like that. What happened after you were adopted?"

"Well, that's when I met Nami, too. I owe him forever for introducing me to such a lovely maiden." Sanji began puffing smoke hearts from his pipe as he giggled. "She had been adopted by Shanks, too. I was never too close to Shanks, though. He left a little while after I had come to the household."

"Where did he go? Japan's not very big, after all…"

Sanji looked at him in surprise. "You've never heard of Red-haired Shanks? One of the most famous pirates sailing the seven seas?"

Zoro stared. "I've heard of officers disappearing while pursuing him. For Luffy to be brought up by a pirate like that…wasn't his grandfather in the bakufu? What happened then?"

Sanji shuddered. "Garp took care of us for a time. Those were the scariest years of my life. We grew up pretty fast under his wing, and we all moved out of the house very quickly. Nami and I started the Baratie restaurant, and Luffy…well, Luffy kind of just did his own thing with Ace."

Zoro mulled over this new information, turning Sanji's story over in his mind. "This Ace character—what's he like? Is he ruthless or cruel? Or more like Luffy?" Zoro tried not to be biased, but he was unwilling to be anything but biased against a Whitebeard pirate.

Sanji shook his head emphatically. "Oh, he's quite different from Luffy, but he's not cruel at all. He's playful but can be serious when the situation calls for it. He's rather mature as well. He's even intelligent. In other words, almost completely opposite to Luffy."

Their little powwow was interrupted when Luffy landed on them in a pile of wet paint and laughter.


	22. Robin

A/N: I will not be writing anything more for the next week or so because of finals. Sigh. So both 'The End of Seclusion' and 'The World' will be put on a brief hold.

---

Zoro watched Luffy roughhousing with the others, wondering how such a playful kid could have had such an impact on so many people. He knew that everyone regarded Luffy as the Head of their family, but he knew precious little beyond what Sanji had told him. As he watched Franky and Usopp yelling at Luffy for "wasting good paint by drawing Jolly Rogers all over the walls," he laughed softly. He himself was still covered in white and black paint, and he was considering grabbing Luffy and jumping into the ocean to wash them both off. The enormous bathroom that Franky had built into the ship was nice—it pumped and filtered water straight from the ocean, using some mechanism that Franky and Usopp had invented to heat it very quickly—but when all the men happened to be taking a communal bath, things got even rowdier. He grimaced as he remembered nearly cracking his skull open on the tiled floors after Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper had covered the floor with bubbly soap suds.

"A beri for your thoughts, swordsman-san?" Robin's voice startled him, and he looked around wildly. So far as he could see, Robin was on the other side of the ship, reading one of the books she had picked up on their travels. He heard her chuckle and brushed his cheek, feeling a soft pair of lips smiling.

"It's really freaky when you do that without warning, Robin," Zoro grumbled, leaning back on the railing again. "I'm just thinking about you guys. As a family."

Robin stood and walked over to Zoro, avoiding a splatter of paint as the others worked to restore the ship's veneer. She sat gracefully, smoothing the soft cloth of the billowing pants she had bought in Singapore. "You're a part of this family too, swordsman-san. You may not have been with us for very long, but I'm sure everyone trusts you just as much as we trust each other. My name is Nico Robin, but inside I'll always be a Mugiwara." She smiled endearingly at him.

"When did you join the family?" Zoro asked politely. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

Robin shook her head. "Do not fret about things like that. When did I join the group? As you can see, I'm quite a few years older than most of you…but it was not long after cook-san and Nami-chan had joined."

_The Ichiriki Ochaya was always busy; the teahouse's reputation as a center of high-end entertainment drew customers from all over Japan, and its patrons were so wealthy that the exorbitant prices were driven even higher. The bright red walls and highly-polished wooden frames of the building showed all the signs of careful tending; the interior was filled with soft cushions, bamboo mats, and expensive silken screens and ornaments that seemed to accentuate the nature of the teahouse's wealthy customers. Carefully manicured women waited patiently for their clients, pale hands folded delicately over bright silken kimonos that gleamed in the candlelight like so many precious blossoms. There were rumors that a certain Red-haired Shanks (who was not yet a pirate at the time) was coming to visit his favorite venue for amusement, along with a few of his men and his family. The summer air was warm, and Robin fanned herself gently with a small, lavender fan that matched the varying violet hues of her kimono. The soft conversations held behind rice-paper doors were muted, and the occasional plinking of a shamisen could be heard punctuating the heavy summer air. The other women in the waiting room jumped slightly, startled, as loud sounds of cavorting children burst into the establishment._

"_Luffy, stop pulling Nami-san's hair! I'll never forgive you if you do it again! Augh, you shitty gomu, you did it!" Sanji squealed, his voice cracking. "Eek, damned puberty!"_

"_Shishishi, your voice is funny, Sanji!" Luffy laughed loudly, as Nami smacked him across the head._

"_If you do that, then you'll owe me another hour of playing with your new wooden boat. Come to think of it, I might just take it as collateral…" she said smugly._

"_Aaaah sorry, Nami, I'm really sorry!"_

"_Nami's really scary," another childish voice piped up. Usopp trembled with fear behind Shanks._

_Shank's voice rumbled with laughter. "Okay, children, calm down. It's time to go inside." He walked through the door, which was held open by one of the older hostesses who was too old now to entertain._

"_Welcome," many feminine voices chorused softly. "I trust that you are Shanks-san?"_

_Shanks nodded. "Is our room ready?" He pulled Luffy through the door, and the other three were herded in by Lucky Roo and Ben._

"Wait, do you mean to say that you used to work for the most famous teahouse in all of Japan? Even as I kid, I'd heard of Ichiriki." Zoro gaped at Robin, who nodded in amusement. "That's insane." Come to think of it, he could imagine the mature woman working in such a place. He glanced at her hands, which were slim and well-manicured under a layer of ink stains and general wear and tear from everyday life. He could tell that, a long time ago, she must have taken painstaking measures to keep them in flawless condition.

_Robin stood and bowed in greeting as Shanks entered the room he had reserved for the night. "Alright, Luffy, I want you and the others to behave, okay? If you don't, then I'll throw you into the ocean!" He smiled benevolently as opposed to his words. "Is the other room ready? I want the children to be able to play on their own."_

"_Are you sure it was wise to bring them along?" Ben asked, looking questioningly at Shanks. "I mean, this place doesn't seem like it can handle them."_

_Shanks groaned. "Do you remember what happened the last time I left them at home with Garp? We came back and they were all cowering in the corner. I'd rather not traumatize them again."_

"_Fair enough."_

"_What are you looking for tonight, sirs?" the hostess inquired politely. "I assure that all of our geisha are beautiful, so that should not be an issue."_

"_Someone with a lot of spunk!" Lucky Roo grinned in excitement._

"_A refined woman, and well-versed in poetry," Ben said simply. "I'm not very particular about it."_

"_Hm, it's been a while since we've been here last…I'm looking for someone with a sense of humor, but who is mature," Shanks said, his eyes roving over the group of women. "Of course, she has to have a good sense of music!"_

_The hostess nodded in comprehension. "Alvida-san, Boa-san, and Nico-san…please accompany these men," she called into the waiting room. The three women stood and proceeded to the room where they would greet and entertain the men. "As for the children, there is an empty room that we have prepared. Your son is quite famous, even here," she laughed softly._

_Robin sat quietly beside Shanks, hands folded as she gravely bowed her head while he spoke. She found him to be charming and easy-going—true to his reputation. Beside her, Alvida laughed at Lucky Roo's words while Boa spoke with Ben. Robin knew that the hostess had chosen the three of them tonight because they were Ichiriki Ochaya's most profitable geisha. For the three of them to be working together for the same group on the same night spoke volumes about Shank's fame._

"_Robin-san, was it? Might we hear you play?" Shanks requested. "I saw someone bring in your shamisen, and I assumed that it was yours."_

_Robin nodded and rose, moving to her carefully-wrapped instrument. She removed the soft cloth wrapping the long instrument and plucked a single string experimentally. Satisfied with the sound, she began to play. The plinking sound of the stringed instrument penetrated the still air of the room, and all fell silent as the single, striking notes she played gradually quickened to form a series of notes that rose and fell as her fingers moved quickly up and down the strings. The mournful song switched to a livelier tempo, reminiscent of butterflies flitting quickly in the breeze. She finished the song with dramatically slowed, somber notes that moved Shanks to tears._

"_Absolutely beautiful, Robin-san," he managed to say, lip quivering. "Does that piece have any meaning behind it?"_

_Robin nodded. "There is a poetry piece that accompanies it. Boa-san is much more proficient at performing though."_

"_Then, Boa-san, might we hear it?"_

_The poem was sad and mournful, depicting the story of two lovers who had met just as they had been betrothed to other partners. They engaged in a brief, bright affair, full of love, and died from broken hearts when they were forced to end their relationship. Boa had written this piece after hearing Robin play the song, not knowing that the true meaning behind it was quite different. Boa's voice matched the mood of the poem, rising when she spoke of the torrid love of the man and woman and falling as she spoke of their death. Robin watched as Alvida performed a dance along with the words, and her eyes roved around the room to fall upon the door that led to the adjacent room where Luffy and company were playing. She saw a pair of bright, black eyes staring back at her and smiled gently. The two eyes disappeared, replaced by a single blue one that instantly burst into a heart._

"You're a lot better at telling a story than the shitty cook."

"Thank you, swordsman-san."

_After a long night of pleasant conversation and more performances by the three geisha, the three men left, with four sleepy children trailing after them._

_Robin found that, in the weeks afterward, she felt a pair of eyes watching her—sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by one or two others. She occasionally saw the bright yellow flash of a straw hat when she looked around, but dared not use her Devil Fruit ability to check. She knew without looking who her little visitor was._

_When the teahouse was closed one morning, she ventured out for a walk in the streets of Kyoto. She politely greeted the many men who recognized her, stopping many on their tracks as they gaped at her beauty. She sat alone on a bench under a tree whose leaves were just beginning to turn yellow with the early fall weather. She looked around, careful to make sure that she was alone, and crossed her arms as she conjured a pair of arms in the tree above her. They grabbed the little boy who hung in the tree's branches, who yelped in alarm._

"_Luffy-san, was it? Might I inquire as to why you have been following me?" Robin waved her arms again, plucking Sanji from the branches as well. "It looks as though the crop of children will be especially plentiful this harvest."_

_Luffy sat beside her, and Sanji followed suit, gazing at Robin with adoring eyes. Neither seemed too alarmed by her sprouting limbs. "Well, I wanted to ask you something. You don't like working at that place, huh?" Luffy asked, dark eyes matching her own._

_Robin started—how could such a little boy perceive such a thing? "I have had no other occupation, so I cannot really say," she admitted._

"_But why do you work there? Don't you want to do something else?"_

_Robin sighed. "It's a rather long story."_

"_We have a long time to listen. There's no school today."_

_Robin chuckled. "Fair enough. In short, my aunt and uncle sold me to an okiya when they were in a financial pinch. I owe the okiya a considerable debt for my training, and even after working for so long, I still have not paid it off. Besides, for all my training, the only other occupation I could take at this point is in the red-light districts," she said bluntly. "That is, unless I have a danna who is willing to support my expenses."_

_Luffy regarded her with steady eyes. "Do you have a dream?" he asked forthrightly, skipping around any pretense of etiquette._

_Robin found herself telling this boy everything—things that she'd never shared with anyone, not even her childhood friend Saul. "I love…history. But, the government has censored so many things, that it is hard to find the true history of the world in Japan." She swallowed, and found herself admitting information that could have had her arrested simply for uttering. "I would love to leave Japan, to see if I can find out what has truly happened in the world."_

_Luffy grinned cheekily up at her. "Really? I want to go out and explore the world, too! C'mon Sanji, let's go." He ran off, followed by a reluctant Sanji._

_Three days later, the manager of the Ichiriki Ochaya informed her that Red-haired Shanks had requested that he be her danna, and she found herself moving out of the teahouse to live at the residence of Red-haired Shanks. He had even covered her debts to the okiya and paid the termination fee at the teahouse for services that the establishment lost when Shanks decided to support her, and bribed the women there to keep quiet about Robin's abilities (which he'd heard about from Luffy). When she arrived at the Red-haired household, with a servant in tow carrying the few kimono she had personally owned and her instrument, she was told that she never had to practice as a geisha again, if she so desired._

"_T-thank you…" she had stammered, unsure as to what she would do with her time._

_Shanks laughed heartily. "Don't thank me. It's Luffy here who told me all about you. Said that you've got 'the look' in your eyes. That kid's instincts are amazing—he can sniff out a good person in need in the blink of an eye. Actually, I do believe that our household's libraries are in need of organization. It would require someone to read through all the volumes and sort through them…" The suggestion hung in the air, tempting her._

_She took it, gladly._

Zoro looked at the plainly-dressed Robin, her hair cropped to shoulder length and looking comfortable in her plain slacks and button-down shirt. He had seen her in a dark purple kimono when he had first met her in Japan, but she had long discarded those traditional clothes in favor of foreign garb. "Er, you don't happen to have any photographs of you when you were still in that line of work, do you?" He was rather curious as to what she looked like.

Robin smiled and crossed her arms; after a few moments, Zoro saw the door to the women's quarters opened by one of her arms, carrying a covered sheet. She held the sheet in front of her and unwrapped the thick paper, revealing the photo tracing on a thick slate. Photography was getting much more efficient nowadays, but still required large amounts of time to develop photos—and even those photos still had to be traced. He examined the tracing carefully, noting the youthful nature of her face and how serious the woman looked. He looked up when Robin offered another sheet, this time a canvas painting. Zoro looked at the oil painting and his mouth dropped.

"You looked really, really…" Zoro stuttered, looking for the right word. 'Hot' seemed too crude, but 'beautiful' didn't seem to cut it. "Exquisite. I mean, you still look great now, but wow."

In the painting, her face was made up with fine, white powder and her long hair had been arranged into a complex shape revealing a slender neck, and adorned with a few glittering pins. Her kimono was simple, with a mauve floral pattern set against a plain, solid purple; her hands peeked from under the wide sleeves of the kimono as she served tea to some unknown customer. Although her posture was proper and upright, something in her eyes smoldered in the painting.

Robin beamed. "Thank you, swordsman-san. If you wish, one night I will take out my shamisen and play for you." Something seemed to change in her posture; her hands were poised in positions that seemed more alluring than usual, and the way she looked up while bowing her head was simply charming. She smiled tenderly, making his mouth go dry and his heart thump.

He turned away, returning the two depictions of her while fighting against the blood rising in his cheeks. _It's no wonder that she was one of the most sought-after geisha in Kyoto,_ he thought.

---

A/N: Yeah, Robin's flashback was kind of longer than Sanji's, right? Well, I kind of wanted to go more in-depth with the details because Sanji was a kid when he met Luffy, but Robin was an adult. If anyone has read _Memoirs of a Geisha_ then some things should sound familiar. A _danna_ is basically a patron, usually a wealthy man.

Robin's such a bad girl, huh? So seductive ;) While I was writing this I was listening to Moulin Rouge by...Sanji! Well, his seiyuu. Yeah. I love the One Piece music.


	23. Welcome home

A/N: I kind of want to get rid of Vivi. She's a loose end, and I keep forgetting about her.

Aaah, it's been about a week since I last updated this story. Bu. Here is the next installment!

---

"Land-ho!"

The tiny island that Nami had steered them to was indeed deserted. There was nothing save for a sparse smattering of trees and a few patches of tough grasses here and there. Franky jumped off of the ship with a whoop.

"This is perfect! No idiots to bother, and no one for our idiots to bother! Thanks, Nami!" he yelled, inspecting the sides of the ship critically. "Alright, Usopp, here's what we need to do…" The two of them conferred using terminology that left the rest of the crew staring confusedly.

"Franky and I will handle patching the actual frame of the ship," Usopp began, tapping the wood experimentally. "The wood is pretty sturdy, so there shouldn't be too much damage. Sanji, Brooke, and Chopper—I want you to start painting the wood after we give the OK. Robin, can you get the paint on the mast? We can't reach it that easily. Nami and Vivi, I want you to just stay on the lookout for changes in the weather so we can know if it's going to rain anytime soon. Zoro…I need you to keep Luffy busy so he doesn't screw anything up."

Everyone but Zoro and Luffy nodded and set off on their tasks.

"Why do I have to babysit this idiot?"

"Why can't I help, too?"

Usopp stared at them in disbelief. "Knowing the both of you, it would be better if you stayed out of the way. Your injuries are still a bit tender, according to Chopper. Actually…" Usopp disappeared into a storeroom and came back in the blink of an eye. "I have a task that the two of you might be able to accomplish. Especially you, Zoro." Zoro blinked in surprise.

"What, do I have to cut something?"

Usopp shook his head and held up the sack that he had taken from the storage room. "I need you to reseed the lawn."

Luffy fell to the ground in laughter, intermittently pointing at the sack of grass seed and Zoro's hair.

"…the hell's that supposed to mean, longnose? You got a death wish?" he snarled, reaching for his swords.

"Eep!" Usopp dropped the bag and ran to where Franky stood, quivering behind the larger man in fear.

Zoro sighed and picked up the bag, slouching as he stormed over to the muddy lawn. He began to clear the mud of any old grass and trash, muttering under his breath. Luffy's laughter subsided and he moved over to help. When the mud was clear of debris, they began to mix compost into the mud, enriching the dirt so that the grass would grow thickly. They finally spread the seed and put a layer of mulch over it all, preventing it from being feasted upon by birds.

"Phew, finally done," Zoro panted slightly, wiping the sweat that was forming on his brow. "If only the weather wasn't so hot around here, it wouldn't be so bad."

Luffy looked at the leftover bag of fertilizer and back at Zoro, and the swordsman felt a sinking feeling settle in his stomach.

"Oh no you don't—" he snapped, rising to grab the bag of fertilizer, but he was too slow for the nimble rubberman.

"Fertilizer fight!" Luffy yowled, grabbing a clump of the fertilizer and throwing it at Zoro. It hit the other man square in the face in a nice, ripe mixture of chopped-up fish heads, vegetable peels, and cow dung.

"Shit," Zoro sputtered, spitting out the foul stuff that had managed to enter his mouth. "Literally. Shit. I'll kill you, you bastard!" He grabbed the bag and dumped it on Luffy's head, rubbing it into his face for good measure.

The crew later found them huffing and puffing in a pile of fertilizer and sweat, which smelled absolutely ripe. The walls were streaked with it, and the two men were covered in it. Nami held her nose as she whacked them (from a good distance away) with her Clima Tact.

"Sanji-kun, I need you to give these two a bath before they clean up this mess," she called to the blond cook.

"Hai, Nami-san!" He kicked them into the ocean. "You can take a real bath after you rinse off most of that crap, you smelly bastards. Marimo, if you were hungry, you should have waited until dinner rather than feasting on that fertilizer."

"What, you think I'm a plant now?" Zoro yelled from the water. "Just you wait until I get back up there!"

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Clever retort. I'm waiting, alright. All I'm waiting for is your stench to be covered in the scent of the ocean."

---

Dinnertime was quiet that day. Everyone was weary from tending to the Sunny's injuries, and even Luffy was less rambunctious than usual after having been beaten by Nami for spreading filth all over the ship. When he had emerged from his bath smelling just as bad as he had going into it, she had grabbed him by the ear and washed him herself.

Both of them were still slightly traumatized.

"Anyone want seconds?" Sanji called from the stove.

"I'll have some," Zoro yelled back, bringing his plate to the chef. Sanji raised an eyebrow as he ladled stew onto the deep dish.

"So, uh, do you want some fertilizer with that? I have a particularly earthy variety today," Sanji jibed, trying to keep his voice serious while failing miserably.

Zoro ate his stew in silence. The shitty cook wouldn't have heard his witty response over the crackling laughter of the crew, anyway.

---

They had continued to patch up the Sunny the day after, and when the paint and tar dried, they were all set to go. The holes in the sails had been mended, cracks were filled, and paint was reapplied. Fraying ropes were replaced, and any trace rust was eradicated.

"Looks like we can make it to Egypt in a single trip," Nami announced happily as they sailed away from the little island. "It shouldn't take more than a week."

Everyone cheered, turning to Vivi excitedly. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she thanked them profusely.

"Everyone…I'm just so glad…" she began, but her voice quivered and eventually broke with emotion. She'd been quiet for the past few weeks, obviously tortured by the thought of what was happening to her country.

The trip to the land of sand went smoothly. Sanji had managed to keep Luffy from raiding the food stores—one night, Luffy had frequented the galley no less than four times before midnight—and the Sunny sailed in peak condition, considering what she had gone through. They reached the African coast with a tailwind that had pushed them a few days ahead of schedule, and they sailed up the Red Sea until they reached the Suez Canal.

Vivi stood by the railing and gazed at the coasts fondly. "I'm almost home," she whispered happily. As they approached the opening to the Suez Canal, Luffy hailed them from the prow of the ship.

"Hey, there's a bunch of people working out there! Let's say hi!" he hollered, already getting ready to use a Rocket to jump to shore. Nami stopped him with a curled hand, pointing to several large ships sailing along the coast.

"Idiot, don't you see those ships? The British _and_ the French are here. Such large naval powers can't be good for pirates. Let's stay on the down low, okay?" she said, more demanding than asking.

On shore, they saw several men from both nations disembarking and greeting each other courteously. One man waved a hand, and several men came forth to help both ships unload. However, they seemed to be encumbered.

"Chains?" Sanji muttered, squinting to try and see more closely. "You endorse slavery in Egypt, Vivi-chan?"

Vivi's hands gripped the wood of the rails tightly as she chewed her bottom lip worriedly. "There were no slaves when I left. This must be another one of Crocodile's exploits," she replied quietly. "My father would never sanction slavery."

Nami kept Luffy under a watchful eye as they sailed up the canal and past the slaves. Surprisingly, he sat quietly while watching them labor, eyes hooded by his straw hat.

"Vivi."

"Yes, Luffy-san?"

"What are you fighting for?" His tone was flat, but the question startled them all.

"To quell the rebellion that Crocodile has stirred and to rid the country of his influence!" she declared firmly. "There are too many innocent people being preyed upon."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Oi, Luffy, what are you trying to say?" Usopp asked in uncertainty.

"If I first speak to the rebel leaders—" Vivi began.

"—then you might stop the rebellion for a day or two," Luffy interrupted, eyes blazing. "Vivi, can't you see? You have to kill the root before attacking the weeds!"

"But…I can't take on Crocodile by myself," she whispered, eyes wide and face pale. "I was hoping that, with the might of the rebel's army, that Crocodile would be forced out of the country…"

"What the hell do you think we're here for, then? Escorts?" Luffy snapped, his hands curling into fists in frustration. "Vivi! We're here to kick Crocodile's ass!"

She stammered, trying to refuse. "N-no, Luffy-san! I can't let you guys be in danger!"

"If you don't trust in our abilities to take that man down, then who can you trust?" he retorted, calming down. "Vivi…I wouldn't let one of my nakama go out there on your own like that. We're here to help you, whether you like it or not."

Any further conversation was cut short as they heard cannons firing and saw the missiles landing in the water around them.

"I'd hate to break up this heartfelt conversation, but shouldn't we be getting to our positions?" Franky said, already running to control the Dock System. "Usopp! Man the cannons!"

"Already there, Franky!"

Nami ran to the railing and looked at the waves with a sharp eye. "Chopper, I need you to bring the Sunny fifteen degrees to the starboard side! The current runs deeper and more quickly!"

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji each stood at the front and sides of the ship, respectively. They found themselves surrounded by other vessels, each bearing the mark of Baroque Works.

"We sure found them quickly, didn't we?" Zoro remarked, drawing his swords and waiting for his opportunity.

"Lucky us. But what's with their ships? It looks like they have giant cages in the middle of the deck," Sanji replied while shading his eyes with one hand. His visible eye widened as he realized what he was seeing. "Shit, those bastards must be slavers. There are people chained up in there."

"We can't sink those ships then, can we? If they've got slaves stuck on there, too, then that probably wouldn't go well with the captain," Zoro said as he watched the ships surrounding them. "Should we just go on board and kill them all there?"

"Takes too much time. We need someone to guard the Sunny, too."

"Franky—well, and Usopp—are more than enough to protect the ship."

"Good point."

They each jumped onto the first ship that reached each side of the Thousand Sunny and began to wreak havoc. The Baroque Works agents were many in number, but few in skill. He had little trouble decimating the crews of the first few ships and freeing the slaves. When the last of Baroque Works had fallen, he wiped the sweat from his brow and surveyed the destruction. He could see that Luffy had been a little overenthusiastic and was helping slaves move to another ship after he had performed a 'Gomu Gomu no Axe.' He returned to the ship and watched in silence as Vivi spoke to a slave that Luffy had brought aboard for questioning. The young woman was shaking in happiness, but had a terrified look in her eyes when she was brought to the rest of the crew.

"Miss, what is your name?" Sanji probed gently, holding one hand softly to her cheek to wipe away her tears. She flinched at his touch, but responded.

"My name is Pascia," she responded.

"How did you end up on that ship? You can't be from around here," Nami asked, moving aside as Chopper walked over to inspect the young woman for any injuries. The woman seemed alarmed at Chopper's appearance, but let him do his work.

"My homeland is Switzerland. My family and I had taken a trip to sweet Italy when I was captured while shopping by myself by this group. They called themselves 'Millions.' After that, I was transported by the very same ship you found today to Northern Africa—I cannot say for sure which nation—and now, we are all being taken to be auctioned off to the French and British. We are only a few miles from our destination point." She paused, looking up at them in gratitude. "I cannot express my appreciation for this. Is there any way that we can thank you?"

Nami looked at her eagerly, her eyes gleaming, but Luffy spoke. "I want you all to leave."

"L-leave?" she asked nervously.

He nodded seriously. "Leave and return home. I don't want any of you to be at risk for being captured again. If you stay here, that is what will most likely happen."

As Luffy took her back to one of the ships, Vivi brushed her hair back with one hand wearily. "This is far worse than I originally believed," she groaned.

"What's that? Why?" Brooke asked.

"He is a privateer. England once employed privateers to harry countries such as Spain for gold and for military purposes. Now, though, the World Government has authorized the internationalization of these services. They have appointed seven of the most powerful privateers from all the nations under their control to try and counteract the powers of pirating crews such as the Whitebeard Pirates. These privateers are like the fulcrum on which the World Government and the pirates are balanced. They call themselves the Seven Military Seas—the _Shichibukai._" She shuddered at the thought of such power.

"Crocodile is a Shichibukai, then? What does that have to do with…?" Usopp asked, the question hanging on the air.

"If he has influence as far as the Mediterranean for his plans in Egypt, then he must have an ally. Even his fame in England would not suffice for him to be able to capture slaves in that area alone. I have heard that there is an extremely powerful man centered in Spain who deals with human trafficking. His name—" She was cut off when Nami clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Knowing his name isn't going to put us in any danger, is it?" Nami hissed, looking around hysterically.

Vivi shook her head, and Nami released her. "His name and actions are not secret, if you know who to ask. No one will oppose him because of his station and abilities. His name is Donquixote Doflamingo."


	24. Hello, Crocodile

A/N: So here's chapter 24. Writer's block is getting a little better.

---

"Donquixote Doflamingo?" everyone chorused, gathering around Vivi.

She nodded. "A rather flamboyant man, I've heard. I have never had the opportunity to see him myself, but they say that he has…powers. Strange ones."

"He is a Devil Fruit user, I'm sure," Robin spoke up while reading a newspaper that they had picked up at the last port. "If his power is truly said to be that monstrous, then it is not unlikely. Do you know what kind of powers he has, Vivi-chan?"

"Apparently, he is like a puppet master." She twiddled her fingers in an imitation of how one would move a marionette. "Whatever he commands, people will act out. Of course, these are only rumors."

"How troublesome," Franky grumbled. "Is there any way to counter his attacks?"

"So far as I have heard, none at all."

As they discussed what would have to be done with two such powerful enemies, Zoro climbed up to the crow's nest to think. _Donquixote Doflamingo, eh? _he thought to himself. _A Shichibukai. If the World Government has requisitioned privateers, then 'that man' is most likely going to have been invited._ He gazed out the window, watching for anyone that might be more trouble.

"Mihawk…"

---

Nami peered through the spyglass at the sweltering desert that spread before them. A city spread across the horizon, built of sandy-brown buildings and dark roof tiles. The port city of Alubarna teemed with activity, both legal and otherwise. They could see camels carrying heavy loads of goods and carts, as well as humans pulling enormous loads. She frowned when she saw two logos that were predominant in the harbor: one was for Baroque Works, and the other was unfamiliar. The one that she hadn't seen before looked like a strange smiley-face.

"That's Doflamingo's mark," Vivi said, standing beside Nami and pointing to the smiley-face. "Everyone, be careful. If they are bold enough to sail in the open bearing his mark with those slaves, then there's no telling what else they will do."

The Thousand Sunny glided into an empty space and everyone gathered on the deck to formulate a battle plan. Vivi wore a large mantel to conceal her face from anyone who might recognize her, much to Sanji's chagrin.

"We need someone to go into the city and get us something to wear. We can't go out looking like this," Nami said, gesturing to their clothing. They wore a motley assortment of clothes—from the traditional summer yukata to foreign clothing they had picked up all over the place. Nothing would fit in naturally here.

"I'll go," Usopp volunteered. "I, the mighty Captain Usopp, can deceive even the most hardened criminal!"

Nami nodded. "You're probably the most inconspicuous, too. Your skin might be dark enough to pass here as a native." She handed him an envelope while saying, "If you lose a single beri note, then you'll be in debt worth five times what you lose." She smiled sweetly as he trembled.

When Usopp had left (with Robin, to help with the women's clothing), Luffy turned to Vivi asking, "Where is Crocodile?"

"He's most likely at Rain Dinners. That's the business that he uses as a front for all of his income," Vivi said. "It's also the headquarters of Baroque Works. Getting in will be easy, because he enjoys seeing people get sucked into his gambling business. However…he will have agents everywhere, I'm sure. We won't be able to tell who's working for Doflamingo, either."

"Does Crocodile speak with his clients often, then?" Franky asked. "A powerful guy like that wouldn't speak to just anyone, would he?"

Vivi shook her head. "Even the officer agents rarely see his face. I myself have only seen him from afar."

They continued to discuss the issue until Usopp came back, dressed in long brown robes that protected him from the harsh sun. Everyone donned similar clothing, although Sanji positively bawled when he saw Vivi, Nami, and Robin cloaked by the mantels. As Robin and Brooke filled Usopp in on the plan, everyone prepared themselves.

"Everyone ready?" Luffy yelled.

"Aye aye, captain!"

"Let's go kick some ass."

They split.

---

The crew had been split into three teams, to avoid being noticed. Team Luffy was comprised of Luffy (of course), Nami, and Brooke. Team Sanji was Sanji, Robin ("Mellorine!"), and Usopp. Team Zoro was Zoro, Chopper, and Franky. They were split up to balance out each others' strengths and weaknesses.

Vivi moved between groups. As they walked through the city towards Rain Dinners, she would walk on irregular paths to avoid being followed and to fall under the protection of each group, who would keep a watchful eye from a distance. Team Sanji moved from the west side of the city, while Team Zoro moved through the east and Team Luffy through the center. It was an arrow-shaped offense that was pointed straight at Rain Dinners.

Zoro followed Chopper, who had been designated as the guide. He saw far too many people being peddled like sheep, and he growled when he saw mothers and fathers offering to sell their sons for labor and their daughters for less appetizing work. He knew that slavery was an ancient custom in Africa, but he still abhorred it.

"There it is. Rain Dinners," Chopper whispered, gesturing slightly. The establishment was large and opulent. White columns graced the entrance of the large building surrounded by pool of water—a rarity, in such a hot climate. Gold leaf crusted the inlays on the walls, and the people entering the casino looked wealthy—their clothing was of high grade, and their expressions were haughty. Several of them had slaves in tow as personal attendants.

"How is it possible for slavery to have proliferated so quickly?" Zoro muttered under his breath.

"Well, it is basically free labor. I'm sure a lot of these people wouldn't see it as any different from buying a camel," Franky responded quietly.

They strode confidently up to the entrance, throwing their cloaks aside. They wouldn't have made it five feet into the building dressed in such shabby clothing. Underneath the robes, they had worn clothing that looked expensive without being garish. Zoro looked down at the kilt-like loincloth that reached his calves and the tunic that hung loosely around his torso—both were made of light linen, covered by a loose linen robe that was decorated with small beads. Leather sandals with straps that wrapped around his shins covered his feet while a headdress covered his trademark green hair. The quality and make of his clothing presented the picture of a well-to-do young man with money to spend. He adjusted his swords—conveniently hidden under the robe—and walked towards the entrance of the casino. He saw Team Luffy already engaged in a game of craps (Nami was practically robbing the place) while Team Sanji was busy with some sort of card game. He saw Vivi was with Luffy and nodded, almost imperceptibly, to Chopper and Franky to indicate that it was time to go on. They moved to the dice table and began to play casually, being sure that everything was natural. Given the time of day and Vivi's information, it was just about time for…

"Sir Crocodile!"

"Look, it's the hero of Alubarna!"

"How dreamy!"

Yes, it was time for Crocodile's daily appearance. He smiled; it was a cruel expression. He waved as he walked out of what was presumably his office and walked towards the entrance, being sure to greet the particularly wealthy patrons. Luffy cried out, "Ah, I've lost!" It was a typical exclamation in a casino.

That was the signal.

They all moved in at once to the spot that was the focus of all their positions. The moves were executed perfectly; every slash, punch, and kick hit its mark.

They blinked, seeing sand.

Crocodile looked at them in amusement, his body reforming from the sand that it had dissolved into.

"So, the cockroaches that Mr. 5 told me about have shown themselves, have they? I heard of a foreign ship with an unknown mark sailing into my harbor, but I didn't think you'd have the audacity to attack so soon," he gloated, snapping his fingers. Immediately, men bearing the mark of Baroque Works surrounded them. "You can come along quietly, or it will get ugly. You wouldn't want your precious princess to be harmed, would you?" he continued, so quietly that only the pirates could hear. He gestured to where Vivi had been standing; a gun was pointed discreetly at her back. "It wouldn't do for the citizens to realize that the princess they had taken for dead was killed in the crossfire by a pirate."

Luffy snarled angrily, knowing that he was helpless. The Baroque Works agents herded them away into the depths of the casino and into a private room away from the hustle of the business patrons. The hallway that they were being lead down was lit by torches that scorched the walls, and Zoro could feel that they were walking downwards. He saw Luffy being pushed into a small cage with thick, white bars; he himself was shoved into another. All around him, he saw the Mugiwara family being separated, with Vivi being forced into a cage in the middle of the group; all the enclosures were situated in a circular pattern around her. Zoro could hear other people murmuring softly, and saw several pairs of eyes staring at the new prisoners warily.

"Should we remove the swords from this man, Sir Crocodile?" One of the Baroque Works members jabbed a thumb in Zoro's general direction. Zoro glared at the man, gripping his swords tightly.

Crocodile laughed. "No, let him keep them. He won't be able to use them, anyway, and I'm sure that our clients will want to see what goods are available in all their glory." The Shichibukai smirked at Zoro. "These cages will not break, no matter how hard you might try. I suggest that you spare your swords the pain of trying." He swept out of the room, followed by his entourage.

"Damnit!" Luffy howled, banging a fist against the bars of the cage. Upon contact, his body went limp and he fell to the ground lifelessly.

"Luffy? Luffy!" Zoro shouted as he grabbed the bars, trying to get closer to his captain. He expected some sort of shock or pain, but was surprised to see that he was unfazed. Chopper, Robin, and Brooke all were huddled in their respective confines, as far from the bars as possible.

"It cannot be…" Robin whispered in disbelief. "To think that Crocodile would have access to a resource of this kind…"

"What is it, Robin?" Nami called from the other side of the room. Robin shivered.

"Seastone, Nami-chan. Kairouseki," the older woman responded. "A stone that emanates the aura of the sea. For people with abilities from the devil fruits, touching it is akin to being submerged in the ocean. It is also extremely rare and expensive, and virtually impossible to handle. These properties make it more valuable than diamonds, and even more dangerous."

Luffy punched the wall, only to fall to the ground again as his energy faded away.

"Stop it, Luffy! Save your energy!" Zoro yelled. "I'll find a way out of here, somehow…I have to…" _After all the shit we've gone through, to lose like this…!_

"There's no use," a soft voice trembled. One of the other occupants of the cages meekly crawled forward; he was an extremely large man, but was obviously emaciated from imprisonment. It was evident that at one point, this man must have been a giant with muscles that could lift a tree by the roots. "You are the pirates?"

Luffy nodded weakly. "You've heard of us?"

The man nodded in response. "Yes. We have been held here until you arrived and were captured, to attract a larger audience," he said.

"What kind of audience are you talking about?" Nami demanded.

The man looked at her with hollow eyes. "Customers. Wealthy buyers looking for strong and talented slaves."

"S-slaves…?" Vivi whispered. "What is the meaning of this? Capturing people in the middle of Egypt's capital city?"

The man shrugged. "Maybe ten or twenty years ago, it would be preposterous. But now that the King is nothing but a figurehead, slavery has flourished. I myself was once a farmer in the neighboring city, but I was captured several weeks ago. My wife…she has already been sold…" He broke down, sobbing dryly.

"Talented slaves, huh. No wonder they let me keep my swords," Zoro growled. "What do they expect us to do, old man?"

The man looked up from his misery. "Members of your group have been cursed by the fruit of the devil?" he whispered.

"I wouldn't call it cursed," Franky objected.

"It is a curse now. The price of people with such abilities rises steeply, for they are fascinating specimens that are easy to control," the man said softly. "For you, swordsman, they will most likely send to the Coliseum to fight to the death. Women will be sold for pleasure, and any skills you have will be exploited until you die."

Zoro sat in stone silence, watching everyone else react. Nami and Vivi were both covering their faces in shame, while Robin sat with hooded eyes; the older woman seemed accustomed to tapping into her feminine wiles. Sanji was gripping his leg in pain, after he had tried to kick the bars down. Usopp and Chopper both shivered uncontrollably while seeking meager comfort from being able to see each other. Franky kept banging the walls of his confines uselessly, while Brooke wrung his hands in desperation. Zoro's eyes sought Luffy.

Luffy was sitting cross-legged, just out of reach of the seastone. One hand gripped his straw hat tightly, while the other was curled into a stiff fist on his knee. Zoro could see the other man biting his lower lip, and saw a small trickle of blood running down his chin.

His captain knew that he was powerless while in this cage.

Zoro sighed heavily, hardening his resolve. Any wavering of his spirit would be the death of him.

Zoro gripped the unyielding stone in both hands, shaking the bars slightly to test it. They didn't budge. He checked the door that he had entered through for any weaknesses in the hinges or joints.

There were none. He would have to do it, then.

Zoro knew that he was strong, to say the least. He could lift buildings when necessary, and could give a good fight even without his swords. Lifting weights that threatened to disturb the balance of the ship was not unusual for him. However, he knew that even he had limits. He had never tried to break or slice through diamond, and this stone was said to be even harder. Zoro took a deep breath, taking the bars in his hands again. The muscles on his arms popped out as he strained, and he refused to let the fact that the stone seemed unchanged by his efforts deter him. The whispers and whimpering from the neighboring cages—the former from his crew, the latter from the other slaves—quieted as his grunts of exertion pervaded through the room.

"Zoro…" Luffy said quietly, watching.

He heard something cracking and ripping, and he was quite sure that it was not the cage. A searing pain ripped through his arms, but he refused to let go.

"I suggest that you stop," a cold voice cut through the air, chilling those who heard it. A dark-skinned man strolled by the cages, looking frostily at the occupants of the cages before stopping in front of Zoro. "You will only injure yourself, and you will not be able to escape this place alive."

Zoro ignored him, ignored everything. He breathed in deeply, feeling for the essence of the world. He could feel the shallow breathing of the slaves and the lightly pulsing panic of his crewmates. A bright concentration of spirit was Luffy, and a dark aura was the man telling Zoro to stop trying. The void that he gripped in his hands was the seastone, fighting patiently against his power. The seastone had survived a cold life on the ocean floor, and had been tortured into shape to be made into this cage. It would not yield its new shape so easily.

He could feel it succumbing, although he knew that the change was not visible. It was time.

He released the bars, eliciting groans of disappointment from the others. The dark-skinned man looked down at him coolly, almost in disappointment.

"I did not expect you to actually listen, but perhaps you are more rational than the rumors suggest, Roronoa Zoro," the man said. "I am Daz Bones of Baroque Works."

Zoro glanced at Daz Bones menacingly. "The way you tell me your name makes me think that you might somehow believe that I care," he hissed, resisting the urge to rub the strained muscles in his arms.

Daz smiled thinly. "You would do well to know it. I will be bidding for you, to entertain like the Roman gladiators of ancient times."

Zoro gripped his swords grimly, placing Wado Ichimonji in his mouth determinedly. "I will not be put on sale for one of your twisted games," Zoro snarled. "I will allow no one in my crew to fall to that fate. _Santoryuu Secret Technique—Three Thousand Worlds!"_

His swords trembled, singing against the bars of the cage. Daz Bones smirked as he saw that the cage was undamaged.

Zoro pulled his swords back, and the cage collapsed. Daz put his arms up to defend against the onslaught of Zoro's next attack, steel blades forming on his limbs.

"Unfortunately, Daz Bones," Zoro growled, "Once a man can break through seastone, mere steel stands no match." Daz Bones fell to the ground in a spray of blood, and Zoro swayed. He had used most of his strength to break through the cage and wanted to simply sleep his weariness away. However, he knew that he had to act fast if he wanted to help everyone else.

"I'm going to go find the keys, okay?" Zoro shouted, running out of the room.

The room was silent after he had left, save for Sanji's snide comment of "Are we placing our lives in his hands? The man who gets lost on his own ship?"

---

Zoro knocked out the first guard he found patrolling alone, fully intending to steal his clothes and masquerade as a guard while looking for keys.

Unfortunately, the first guard was a woman. Her frizzy hair stuck out in all directions, and he could have _sworn_ that he saw her try to stab him with a really, really long fingernail. Creepy.

The second time, he was luckier. The man tried to subdue him with some weird sort of white goop—wax, as it turned out—but it was easy to avoid, and Zoro took his clothes as well as his keys (although the tunic was a little tight around the pecs). He managed to trace his way back by following a scratch in the ground that he had left with his sword, to make sure that he knew how to get back. Contrary to popular opinion, he was aware (deep, deep down) of just how bad his sense of direction was. He returned to the cages, waving the keys as he began to shout "I found them!"

The room was empty. All that was left to show what had happened was the spray of Daz Bones's blood on the ground and the scrapes left on the ground by the cages as they had been dragged away.


	25. Sold!

Zoro backed up unsteadily, hastily retreating and finding a place where he could be inconspicuous. It wouldn't do for him to try and follow the crew without getting his bearings first. He joined a group of other guards that he found in the main rooms of the casino that were patrolling; he assumed that it was a training course, because most of the other guards looked just as clueless as he did. A large man with a club was leading them and spoke agonizingly slow, which might have explained their confusion.

"Heeere iiis theee…" the man began, but was cut short when a short woman who looked horrifically similar to a mole slapped him across the head.

"Shut up! You're too slow! Okay! This is the main casino room," she said in a quick and high-pitched voice as she led them through the building. "This next room is confi-confidential!" They walked down a long hall with a door at the end, which she unlocked. Zoro began walking in the opposite direction, only to be grabbed by another guard.

"You're walking the wrong way, rookie," the guard growled. His face was painted with…sevens? Odd.

"Er, thanks," Zoro said gruffly.

The room that they were in was surprisingly large for its location under the casino. Stands were built in a circular fashion around a large, round stage. These seats were luxuriously fitted with plush cushions and servants walking back and forth carrying pitchers of wine and plates of hors d'oeuvres. Zoro could see that there were several pathways that led from the outsides of the underground stadium onto the stage, and recognized the tell-tale scrapes on the ground made by seastone cages being dragged.

"This is the bidding room," the mole-woman said. "Take your stations, men."

As the other guards marched off to stand at regular intervals around the room, Zoro tugged his collar apprehensively and looked around for a place to stand. A blond man wearing a bright pink boa over his partially-buttoned red and white shirt gestured to him. Tinted glasses covered the man's eyes in another vivid shade of purple.

"Uh, yes, sir?" Zoro said, quickly walking over to the man.

"You're supposed to stand here," the man said with a cackle, gesturing to the positions of the other guards. Zoro could see that if he stood there, he would complete the pattern of men standing around the room. "You're new here, huh?"

"Y-yeah," Zoro replied, trying to act like the other guards.

"Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, then?" the man asked genially. His teeth were a stark white against his skin, and the way that his legs were splayed out in front of him to spill into the seats in front of him suggested that this man was used to power and comfort.

"Sir?" Zoro asked in bewilderment. He had never heard of people talking to bodyguards like this before.

"For example…" the man began nonchalantly as he waved a finger lazily in the air, "…why aren't you in those cages with the rest of your crew? Roronoa Zoro."

Zoro's hands were reflexively to the three swords hidden under the robes of his guard uniform, tensing immediately. He couldn't afford to be exposed right now, in the lair of the enemy.

"Who are you?" Zoro hissed.

"Tsk, I believe I was the one to ask you a question first. But, I will introduce myself," the man said. "My name is Donquixote Doflamingo. But you may call me Donquixote-san"

Zoro shivered, restraining himself from jumping back and creating a scene. "Donquixote Doflamingo? The one collaborating with Crocodile?" he said in quiet disbelief.

"Ah, I see that you have heard my name. Very well. Watch quietly, the show is about to begin." Donquixote sat back comfortably as an announcer's voice began to boom from the center of the stage.

"Welcome, dear patrons, to this month's auctioning session! Our first item for this evening is a sixteen year old girl. She was found in Greece, and is most certainly of virgin status," the announcer said as a seastone cage was dragged down one of the paths to the stage by a group of slaves painted in odd colors. "Bring her here, boys, so we can all see!" The cage was opened and a girl was put on display in the middle of the stage, trembling as she tried to cover her body. Her clothes had been torn to leave only a shadow of dignity and cover for her buxom young body. "The bidding will begin at 600,000 beri!"

Thus, the bidding began.

Zoro watched in horror and fury as the girl was sold to an old man who leered at her licentiously as she was taken off the stage and put back into her cage, and others were brought out to take her place.

"What is the meaning of this, Donquixote?" he growled, hands fisted and trembling. "Why the hell are you showing me this?"

Donquixote chuckled, not saying a word, as several more transactions were completed. "That's the last regular human on our list. The next part should interest you," he said

The announcer's voice brimmed with excitement as several cages were dragged out in a line. "Here's a rare treat, ladies and gentlemen! What we have here is the Mugiwara Pirate Crew! The group itself has not been around for very long, but half of its members are…oh my…they have the abilities of the devil!" Whispers rippled through the crowd as the excitement in the room rose. "And that isn't the best of it, folks! The internationally wanted criminal, Roronoa Zoro, is also up for grabs! Daz Bones is absent today, so I'm sure that many of you are eager to grab this healthy specimen for your own battle games!" Zoro blinked in shock as he saw himself walking out of one of the cages, although he could tell even from this distance that the swords that the other Zoro was carrying were of inferior quality.

"What the hell is that?" he snapped at Donquixote.

"A Devil Fruit user," Donquixote said with a grin. "He goes by the name of Bon Kurei." (A/N: I forgot to have Bon Kurei touch Zoro. That sounds so wrong. But let's just gloss over this for a moment, shall we?) Zoro watched in horrified fascination as Bon Kurei ripped off his shirt and flexed his muscles, showing off.

_Damn, I look good._

Donquixote interrupted Zoro's train of thought as he said, "This brings us to a little business that we have to take care of. You want to save your crew, yes? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here," he said smoothly. "Listen. Do not interrupt, for I will not repeat myself or this offer. You are not only a wanted criminal worldwide, but you have also killed one of my best assassins—Daz Bones."

"Roronoa Zoro" was sold for thirty million beri.

Zoro waited impatiently for the man to continue, but Donquixote seemed to be stalling. Zoro realized that he was waiting for the rest of the crew to be sold. Brooke was sold for sixty thousand beri, and Franky was sold for three million beri. Nami and Robin were each sold for eight and fifty million, respectively—Robin's price had been inflated by her Devil Fruit ability, which she had been forced to exhibit when the slavers had threatened her with a sword. Usopp was sold for a meager fifty thousand; his skills as a blacksmith were valuable, but his body was not as strong as the bidders would have liked. Chopper was sold for a whopping forty million beri to an Englishman looking for an addition to his exotic zoo. Zoro felt the blood trickling down his hands as his fists were gripped even more tightly when he saw Luffy being dragged out of the seastone cage, limp with exhaustion.

"Here is another interesting specimen! Monkey D. Luffy is not only the captain of this crew, but also in possession of a Devil Fruit ability!" Several slaves began to pull at Luffy's body, stretching and contorting it before letting go and allowing it to snap back to his original shape. A round of applause rang throughout the stadium.

"Tell me what the hell you're playing at, Donquixote," Zoro whispered hoarsely, fighting to keep his voice calm.

Donquixote smiled. "I will allow your crew to go free, no strings attached. Even your princess—who hasn't been brought out yet, because she's a _special item—_will be allowed to leave with them. We will not injure them, or prevent them from escaping, or even from restocking. I will even have the World Government remove your bounty, thus allowing your crew to sail without any connection to your crimes and subsequent danger from the Marines However, in return…" Zoro waited with bated breath for the catch.

"In return, you will work for me."

"What kind of a deal is that?" Zoro blurted out. "Why would you do that?"

Donquixote watched Luffy's price being driven up in boredom. "I'm ready to bail out of this business, Roronoa. Slavery is an ancient tradition, but with these times changing…it helps to have a loyal man under you who is strong enough to break through seastone. Only the strong will inherit the New World. Yes, Roronoa, I saw the evidence. You managed to break through that which was considered indestructible. I have never let my guard down yet, but you will be there to take care of anyone that needs taking care of."

"There must be a catch."

"A catch? Of course. When I say that you will work for me, I do not want a slave. You will pledge your allegiance to _me,_ as your master, but I will not shackle you. You will give your solemn word, upon everything you hold dear, that you will do as I say."

"How is that any different from slavery? And how do you know that I'm so honorable?"

Donquixote shrugged. "This is different because your crew will sail away, and you will not need shackles. I know that you are honorable, because you returned for your crew when all the odds were against you. Take it or leave it, Roronoa."

Zoro breathed in heavily, feeling a sense of déjà-vu. It seemed like just yesterday that he had been willing to cut off his ties to the crew and give up his life so that they could go free.

"How do I know that you will honor your own words?"

Donquixote shrugged. "You haven't really got any other choice, have you? The men who have bought your crew hail from countries all over the world. Once they sail back home, it will be impossible for you to free your crew."

Zoro looked at Luffy, whose eyes were downcast and shoulders were slumped.

Last time, Zoro had been too late. He had seen the danger, smelled it, been close enough to touch it.

Now, he was more wary. He could still see the threat, but was being offered a lifeline.

What was one life compared to eight? He was only one swordsman.

There was only one Monkey D. Luffy. And he had just been "Sold! Fifty million beri!"

---

Luffy had watched his nakama being sold, one by one, with an increasing sense of dread and desperation. When Zoro had run off to look for the keys, he had felt a sense of hope soaring through his chest. Luffy had waited eagerly, and thought that the first person to return would be Zoro. _Zoro's always been there for us, _he thought hazily. _What a reliable guy. Like with Lucci…_

When a man wearing a pink feathered boa walked through the door instead, something cracked in Luffy's faith.

"Donquixote Doflamingo!" Vivi whispered upon seeing him.

"So this is the Mugiwara crew, eh? Roronoa has an interesting choice of comrades," Donquixote mused. "He even dispatched Daz Bones," he continued, nudging the fallen man with one toe. "Tonight will be an interesting auction." He walked out with that strange waddling gait of his, waving lazily over one shoulder. A young woman carrying a paintbrush pointed to the cages, and several heavily painted slaves began to drag the cages away.

Luffy stared at the ground as his body was stretched again, hearing jumbles of numbers being shouted out. He could only hope that Zoro had been sensible enough to escape, for it was too late for them.

"Sold!"

Luffy was pulled back into his cage. The doors slammed with a boom of resounding finality.

---

Back in the original holding room, the slaves were being prepared to go home with their new owners. Luffy watched with empty eyes as the other slaves were taken away, wondering what his fate was. The others in his crew were similarly occupied.

"Why so sad, Monkey D. Luffy?" Donquixote's voice pierced through the air as he ambled down the path to the cages where the Mugiwara crew was gathered. Behind him, a bodyguard strode behind him, sticking to the shadows.

"…the hell do you want, Donquixote?" Luffy growled, fury breaking through his apathetic depression.

Donquixote snapped his fingers. Another guard ran up and unlocked the cages, one by one. Luffy stepped out of the confines of the seastone and stood beside his nakama protectively. He balled up his fists, getting ready to fight, but felt some inexplicable force holding him still. Luffy's eyes flew up and he saw Donquixote cocking his head at them, both hands raised and fingers twitching.

"Is this another one of your sick games, Donquixote?" he demanded, breathing harshly as he fought against Donquixote's power.

"Now, now, settle down. I wouldn't want to have to have you locked up again. You're free, all of you. Even the princess," Donquixote said evenly.

"…what?" they all chorused.

"If you would, Roronoa?" Donquixote said, stepping aside. Zoro walked forth from the shadows, wearing the same uniform that he had stolen.

"Zoro!" Luffy exclaimed. "You're here!"

"Wait, Luffy," Sanji growled. "Something isn't right."

Zoro looked at their hopeful eyes wretchedly, but managed to conceal his emotions with a cold exterior.

"I've found a better master, Luffy," he said quietly. "You guys go off on your little adventures. I'm Donquixote-san's man now."

"Zoro…" Nami said softly, her eyes wide with disbelief. Chopper trembled as his eyes filled with tears, and the others simply stared in shock. Zoro could see Sanji's legs trembling in what must have been the urge to kick him. Zoro looked Luffy straight in the eye, hardening his resolve.

"Go, Luffy. I'm not a Mugiwara anymore."

"No." Luffy's response was simple and flat. "I won't accept this."

Zoro felt his spirit wavering slightly. He wanted to join them, fight with them side by side. It felt wrong, standing by Donquixote's side while he faced his nakama with this news. Donquixote stepped forward, a simpering leer on his face.

"I'm afraid you'll have to accept it. Obviously, you can see that I'm not forcing him to do anything, am I?" Donquixote said, looking at Zoro with a grin.

Zoro nodded stiffly in affirmation. "Yes, Donquixote-san. I'm doing this of my free will, Luffy. Now, go."

Luffy opened his mouth to argue further, but Donquixote twiddled his fingers. The pirate crew found themselves being forced, step by step, to leave. Luffy fought with all his might, but it was useless.

---

"Donquixote…san," Zoro said quietly. "What are your plans from here?"

"I suppose I'll have to get rid of Crocodile. He's the only loose thread that's going to be any trouble in the future, don't you think?"

---

"What are we going to do, Luffy?" Nami asked desperately. Donquixote's power had stopped working once they left the casino.

Luffy crossed his arms, glaring in the direction of the casino.

"Isn't it obvious? We've got to beat up Donquixote so Zoro will come back! You don't think that we'll be able to stop a rebellion without him, do you?"


	26. Working for Donquixote

A/N: Just for reference, the members of Bellamy's pirate crew are Bellamy, Sarquiss, Lily, Ross, Eddy, Huett, Rivers, Mani, and Myure. So I'll be using some of their names for people working for Donquixote.

Also, thank you krystaleyes for pointing out that I had neglected Sanji's price (that he was sold for). Let's just say a cool 25 million.

Aaah and I've updated later than usual again. The next chapter of 'The World' is also delayed because things aren't...flowing.

---

After the Mugiwara Crew had been forcibly sent out of the casino, Donquixote took Zoro in a covered carriage to a large mansion on the southern end of the city. The large building simply oozed wealth—the ride through the front gates would make getting the mail a long process. The grounds were not made of lush green grass and trees, however; it was built to incorporate the natural environment of Egypt with a small river running through the grounds with reeds, tough bushes, and date trees dotted here and there. Zoro looked wistfully at the closing gate as they rode through, wondering what Donquixote's house would be like.

Upon exiting the carriage, Zoro found surprisingly few servants for such a large house. The building was three stories high and expansive, built of durable beige stucco. The door was opened by a man with unkempt blond hair and a pink sleeveless shirt who vaguely resembled a hyena.

"Welcome back, Donquixote-san," he said with a deep bow.

"Hey, Bellamy," Donquixote said in a bored voice. "Tell the maids to get one of the rooms ready. Doesn't matter which one. We have a new man working for us today."

Bellamy appraised Zoro sneeringly before bowing in a mocking manner at the swordsman. "My name is Bellamy," he said, waiting for the other man to introduce himself. Zoro simply shrugged and followed Donquixote into the manor, ignoring Bellamy who stuttered in rage. He didn't want to deal with a man like that.

"Now, Zoro-kun, I'm sure that you have had a very trying day today," Donquixote said magnanimously. "When your room is ready, you can go to your room and rest. I'll have someone call you to the evening meal."

"Donquixote-sama, the room is ready," a maid said.

"Thank you, Lily. Please lead Zoro-kun to his room."

Out of Donquixote's hearing, Lily turned and glanced arrogantly at Zoro. "Another one of Donquixote-sama's bodyguards, are you? You don't look like much," she said with a smirk.

Zoro ignored her as he had Bellamy. She simply shrugged.

"Nervous, huh? Don't worry. The last guard didn't last long, either."

The room she led him to was large, as was expected for a house of this size. After she had left, he explored the room curiously. Thick rugs covered the floors in a black and red pattern. A small table was situated in front of a small cabinet with sturdy cloth-lined chairs. The bed was also large and soft, with thin sheets to accommodate the heavy summer heat. A door on the side led to a washroom, although it was devoid of a bath; he guessed that there would be a larger communal one somewhere else. It was comfortable and luxurious without making the occupant feel stiff or uncomfortable.

"So this is my life, eh?" he sighed, stretching out on the bed. It was almost too soft, compared to the rough hammock he was used to on the Thousand Sunny. He growled and pulled the mattress off and threw it to the ground, preferring the harder surface of the base of the bed underneath. There was a large window at the end of the room that led to a balcony—his room was on the second floor—but he had no desire to look out of it. It would only make him want to feel the sea breeze again, and to revel on the ship with his boisterous crew—

_Stop thinking about that! You have other things to do now. Things that don't include them,_ he thought desperately.

_Do you really think Luffy will just leave you behind like this?_ a traitorous voice hissed in his head. _He's coming back…_

He squashed that hopeful, torturous voice with a mental fist. Hours later, Lily came back to take him to dinner.

---

"Ugh…who the hell is trying to wake me up? That better not be you, Usopp," Zoro half shouted, half moaned as he rose out of his bed and walked groggily to the door. "Wait. Why am I in a bed?" The bright morning sun pierced his head just sharply as his realization. "Ah, crap." He remembered.

"Roronoa-kun, Donquixote-sama is calling you," Lily said with a bow, taking in his unkempt appearance with a critical eye.

"Unh, fine. Just a second." Zoro turned around and stumbled into the washroom as Lily waited by the door impatiently. As he rinsed his face and cleaned his teeth, he mulled over yesterday's events. He had fallen asleep fitfully, and had had strange dreams with cage bars and beri flying in his face. He pulled off his pants and shirt—much to Lily's distress and slight interest—and pulled on a set of clothing he found in a drawer. The style was not Egyptian, but Spanish.

"Alright, let's go," Zoro groaned. "What time is it, anyway?"

"It is three hours past dawn," Lily responded. "Breakfast is being served right now."

Zoro sat at the large dining table and breathed in the scent of scrambled eggs and fresh bread with little hunger. He remembered how Sanji had prepared eggs in the mornings—the cook would heat it in thin layers on a pan and roll the egg into little cigar-shaped rolls that were absolutely delicious. Zoro poked at his own meal, ignoring Bellamy's inquisitive stare. Donquixote also ate silently (apparently, the man wasn't a morning person) and tossed a list at Zoro when the meal was finished.

"Your duties for the day," Donquixote said wearily. "Ask Bellamy if you need help. I'm going back to bed." He left, waddling unsteadly.

The first item of Zoro's short agenda for the first official day in Donquixote's service was surprisingly simple. _1. Take driving lessons from Sarquiss._

"Who's Sarquiss?" Zoro asked Lily. She led him to the stables, where a man with long wavy hair and tinted glasses was grooming the camels. "Donquixote-san told me to take driving lessons from you," Zoro informed the other man.

Sarquiss looked Zoro up and down with the same arrogant attitude as the others had. "He did, did he? Let's get started, then."

Zoro spent a good portion of the morning learning how to properly take care of the steeds, equip them, and ride them both bareback and with a carriage. Zoro returned to the mansion covered with dirt after falling off the camels and horses countless times and very aggravated from Sarquiss's snide comments.

"Where can I take a bath?" he asked Lily, reeking from when he had fallen after a camel had decided to leave a nice patty for him. She took him to the bath and left him with a towel and basket for his clothes. The bath was wider than the one on the Sunny, and already filled with hot water—a rare commodity, in this country. He rinsed off and scrubbed vigorously, not hearing someone enter the room and quietly shut the door. After he had stepped gingerly into the steaming water and leaned back with a sigh, until he heard the splash of someone entering the water.

"Who's there?" he called cautiously, hands reaching unconsciously for the swords he had left with his clothes. Through the steam, he saw a shock of blond hair and fogged-up sunglasses.

"Hello, Roronoa-kun," Donquixote said smoothly. He seemed to ignore the fact that it must have been impossible to see through his fogged-up glasses and waded towards Zoro, settling beside him. "Did you have a pleasant lesson with Sarquiss?"

Zoro shrugged. "It was productive, Donquixote-san," he said, falling back into his old Marine discipline.

"Excellent, excellent. Don't forget to do the other items on the list I gave you," Donquixote said. They sat in silence, until Donquixote spoke up again. "That's quite a prodigious scar you have there, Roronoa-kun."

"Um, thank you, sir."

"Where'd you get it?"

"From a man called Dracule Mihawk," Zoro replied. "I met him in Spain a few years back."

Donquixote absorbed this information with interest. "Mihawk, eh. I know that man." He didn't elaborate, and Zoro's didn't ask. They sat in silence until Zoro rose with a slight bow before taking his leave.

"Hm, number two…" Zoro muttered as he wiped the water from his body. The heat of the bath made him steam slightly, even in the humidity of the day. He looked at his list and read the second item.

_2. Meet merchants and learn about grocery transfer._

"Doesn't sound too difficult," Zoro mused to himself. He went off in search of Bellamy to find out about the groceries.

---

"Sanji…niku…" Luffy whined piteously on board the Thousand Sunny. The whole crew was gathered in the galley, trying to formulate a plan to deal with the whole Zoro-Donquixote-Crocodile problem.

"Just a second, Luffy, it'll be done in a minute," Sanji said quietly. No one had been surprised by Luffy's gung-ho response to the issue at hand, but they had been surprised by Sanji's reaction. The man had kicked and lashed out violently at the slightest provocation for the first night, but had been silent and brooding for the day after. He had avoided everyone else, spending hours making intricate meals in the galley or sitting in the crow's nest and staring at the city from the ocean. When the women had tried to get him to speak, he would simply smile softly and distract them with a few flowery words as he made his escape.

"Donquixote's mansion is well-known throughout the entire city. He has the best merchants deliver the freshest produce—that is, whatever isn't grown already on his mansion grounds. He only travels outside of his property to visit the various casinos that he is affiliated with and to check up on his slave channels," Vivi said, pulling up a map of the city. "He periodically hires bodyguards, but all of them have died while on duty because they were unprepared or not skillful enough respond in time to the attacks. Donquixote himself has never suffered any injuries from this attack."

"Why does he need bodyguards, then?" Chopper asked curiously.

"He always chooses the strongest men that he can find," Vivi replied. "It was once Daz Bones, but we all know what happened to _him."_

"Why did he let us all go, though? Donquixote gave up a lot just to keep Zoro," Franky said in confusion.

"I…I don't know," Vivi replied. "I can't really predict what his next actions will be. But if we want to eliminate Donquixote, then we have to be _extremely_ careful. He's proven that he can control all of us at the same time—even Zoro might not even be able to resist if Donquixote forces him to attack us."

---

"Number three," Zoro grumbled, pulling the list out of his pocket. The grocery merchants had been extremely annoying, persistently telling him about all the nuances of the trade. He didn't really care, and he had made it very clear to them. "The first two tasks were pretty mundane. I wonder what number three is?"

_3. Collect debt owed to Donquixote-san by Roshio. If he proves to be unwilling or unable, then kill and bring head back to Donquixote-san._

"…what a sudden change in pace," Zoro muttered, cracking his neck in preparation. "I better ask Bellamy where to find this Roshio."

---

"Do we have any information on where Donquixote will be today? Maybe if we tail him, we can get some sort of information on his habits, and maybe his weaknesses," Robin proposed.

Vivi nodded. "Normally today he would be visiting the Golden Palace Casino. He doesn't deal with human trafficking over there, only gambling. If we plan things out right, then we can follow him from a safe distance."

They agreed to split up into the same groups as they had for the failed Crocodile assassination, with Vivi taking control of Zoro's group.

"So we're going to stay at least thirty feet from the target in a pincer formation? Gotcha," Luffy said determinedly. "Are you _sure_ we can't kick his ass?"

"Yes, Luffy, we're sure. If we act too brashly, then we might all get killed," Nami snapped. "It's about time. Let's go. Reconnaissance, begin."

---

"The Golden Palace Casino?" the old woman said nervously. "It's that large building over there, with the gold-leaf columns. It's hard to miss." Zoro thanked her for the information and continued on his way. Bellamy had told him that Donquixote usually was the one to visit the casino in person on this particular day, but that the man had other business to take care of and that it wasn't unusual for his bodyguards to go in his place, especially when it came to collecting debt.

Zoro walked up the steps and curtly nodded to the guards standing by the doors. They nodded in return, recognizing his uniform and letting him pass.

---

"That's the place," Vivi whispered. "We can't be sure that our faces will not be recognized, so we'll wear these disguises." The woman all wore the veils of Muslim women accompanying the men, who wore various headdresses and false facial hair to cover their own faces. They had procured different sets of clothing to match the glitzy environment they were about to enter.

They entered the casino without a hitch.

---

Zoro looked around for the man matching Bellamy's description. "Headband, long pale hair, tattoos up one arm," he muttered to himself, looking around. "Typically favors cards over dice. There." He walked up to the man that he saw. "Are you Roshio-san?" he asked, with cool civility.

The man looked up at him in fairly good nature, although he was wary of the other man's swords. "Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?" Roshio set his cards down and turned to face Zoro, with a hand on his hip.

"I come from Donquixote-san, concerning your debt," Zoro responded.

The man's friendly demeanor immediately dissipated. "Oh, you're one of his dogs, are you? He sure replaced Bones quickly. I already told Donquixote that I'd have his money by the end of this month! Go and crawl back to your master, you yellow monkey."

Zoro twitched at the racial slur, but stood firm. Bellamy had already informed him that this was likely to happen. "I suggest that you either give the money now, or I will take your head back as reparations for Donquixote-san."

"Just try it!" Roshio snarled, grabbing the dagger at his hip and swinging at Zoro.

Zoro groaned inwardly. _Idiot. Should have just handed over the money._

---

"Excuse me, sir, is Donquixote-san coming in today?" Brooke politely asked one of the dealers. The man was slightly startled by Brooke's gaunt appearance but shook his head.

"I'm sorry, sir, but unfortunately Donquixote-san will not be coming in today. He sent a representative in his place. I believe that his representative is conducting Donquixote-san's more urgent business today with Roshio-san."

Brooke thanked the man and subtly relayed the information to the others.

_A representative?_ Nami mouthed. Brooke nodded.

_Roshio is the man over there,_ Vivi indicated with a slight jerk of her head as she watched a cup of dice being rolled.

"I suggest that you either give the money now, or I will take your head back as reparations for Donquixote-san."

"Just try it!"

The Mugiwaras looked up in surprise as they heard the short interaction.

"Zoro…?"

They had to restrain Luffy from running over immediately, but everyone was shaken by seeing the green-haired swordsman so soon. They watched in silence as they gambled, and saw Roshio take a swing at Zoro. They didn't even see Zoro move or draw his sword, but Roshio's torso was split open in an instant and his head was removed cleanly with another flash of steel.

Surprisingly, only a few people in the casino had any great reaction to this.

"What was that?" Franky asked the dealer, visibly shaken.

The dealer shrugged. "Roshio owed a great deal of money to Donquixote-san. It is not unusual for debtors who refuse to pay what they owe to be dealt with this way nowadays. Business isn't even adversely affected by it anymore."

They watched Zoro wave to a few of the casino workers, who came with a large sack for the decapitated body and a smaller one for the head. Zoro picked the head up by the hair and coldly slipped it into the sack before bowing slightly to the workers.

"I apologize for the mess here," he said quietly before turning and leaving. On his way out, he happened to walk by Sanji. He didn't give any indication of recognition, but it may have been his tunnel-vision that he erected after killing Roshio.

_Don't let Sanji say anything!_ Nami waved frantically to Usopp. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Is killing that easy, you shitty marimo?" Sanji said softly, putting his hand down. "I fold, dealer."

Zoro paused, looking at the cook at first in astonishment, and then in frosty indifference. "He was in debt, and refused to pay. I was simply following orders."

Sanji took a shaky breath, fumbling in his pockets for a cigarette. "Following orders, huh? I never took you for the type that would be a whipped cur. The man I respected wasn't one to lay down and take this _shit,_ you bastard. The man I knew…he had pride…" Sanji managed to light the cigarette without injuring himself. "You…"

Zoro was gripping the hilt of Wado Ichimonji tightly and his nails dug into his palm. "Don't speak so familiarly with me. I'm not your nakama anymore. Why don't you guys just leave already?" _Stop talking, you moron! Do you think I want to do this?_

"You know why we can't leave." _We're not leaving until you're back with us and Egypt is liberated. Marimo. And I...I can't leave you behind._

Zoro turned around, his back to Sanji in a manner that screamed _You're the type of enemy that I'm not afraid to turn my back to._

"You can't help her anymore, you know. You'd have to beat both Crocodile and Donquixote-san—and you definitely can't get past me, cook." Zoro walked away stiffly, and Sanji could see the blood running down his hand where his nails had pierced the skin.

---

"Sanji-kun…" Nami said softly as they congregated outside of the casino. "Are you alright?"

He gave no answer.

---

"Excellent job, Roronoa-kun."

"Why did you have me kill him? He was willing to pay, given the time."

"It was a test of your loyalty."

"…I see."

"The way you dealt with your, ah, _former_ comrades was admirable, too. I believe that you are ready now to accompany me. From now on, you will be a full-time bodyguard, and you will never leave my side."

"Yes… Donquixote-san."

---

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter. I'm trying to develop the whole Zoro-Sanji relationship, but I'm still hesitating between keeping it at camaraderie or whether to make things yaoi. Any suggestions?


	27. Two Shichibukai

A/N: YAOI! Just kidding. No yaoi.

Santoryuu-Zoro, thanks for pointing out the thing about Mihawk's name. From now on, I'll be referring to him as Juraquille rather than Dracule.

This was a bit later than I expected. Thanks for the input and patience!

---

"Good morning, Zoro-kun," Donquixote said as his bodyguard sat down to breakfast with him. The man, who had been as gruff as a bear the previous morning, was now all sunshine and butterflies. "Isn't it a lovely day outside?"

(A/N: In reality, I hope that Donquixote isn't this fruity.)

"Um…yes, sir, it's a fine day," Zoro replied as he looked at the plate being placed in front of him. Lightly toasted bread was smothered with strawberry jelly and placed beside a mound of fried eggs and bacon. He ate mechanically, grudgingly admitting that the meal wasn't too bad. Of course, he was used to meals that were loud and boisterous even in the morning, and filled with laughter and food-theft.

"I suppose it's only fitting," Donquixote continued. "Crocodile will see his last pleasant morning today."

So that's why the man was so cheerful.

"Yes, sir—wait, today?" Zoro gaped. "What's going on today?"

Donquixote smiled thinly. "Today we will be visiting Rain Dinners Casino again. So far as Crocodile knows, I will be delivering a new shipment of slaves imported straight from Japan—the new goods that come out of there are considered as quite exotic out here. I believe they are called _geisha?_"

Zoro's hands shook as he cut delicately into an egg. He remembered when Robin had shown him the portrait of her that had been done when she was in her prime, working at the Ichiriki Ochaya. The vision of her loveliness was shrouded when mental bars crashed down around her, marring the beauty and making it ugly with shame and horror.

"I see," he said evenly. "How…interesting. Are the women treated well?" He chewed and swallowed with difficulty. "After all, since they are from my home country…"

Donquixote shrugged. "I cannot say for sure what happens on the ship between transfers, but I make it a point to forbid the men from touching any women whose value will be undermined if her purity is lost." He twiddled his fingers. "If I find that they are disobedient, then I take care of them myself. That's why the male slaves are the usual targets."

Zoro shuddered at the thought. "What will be doing once we arrive at Rain Dinners?" Lily brought a pot of tea, and they drank together.

"Crocodile has never trusted me, but he lets his guard down slightly during the transaction of merchandise because he knows that we depend on each other in this business. Since I plan to leave this industry behind, that is no longer of any concern. I will hold him still, and you will—" Donquixote made a slashing motion across his throat. "Understand?"

Zoro definitely understood.

---

"Excuse me, sir, but…would you mind helping me?" Nami bent over seductively, the low cut of her dress leaving little to the imagination as she sauntered over to a man sitting stoically outside of Rain Dinners, looking forlorn. He had the look of a wealthy man who had piddled away all his money on dice.

"Of course, miss," he said, wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth quickly. "What can I do for you?"

Nami put a finger against her lip in a slight pout. "Well, I was just wondering about the owners of this casino…" she said, jiggling her bosom slightly.

"Oh, Crocodile and Donquixote? Those bastards only deal with the high rollers, it's no wonder you haven't met them before," the man said, scooting over to drape an arm around her shoulder.

"_Let go of me, you rubber bastard! How dare he touch Nami-san!"_

"_Let her do her job, Sanji! She knows what she's doing!"_

"Did you hear something?" the man asked, looking around. Nami scowled fiercely as he turned around at the Mugiwara crew stationed not too far away. They were immediately silenced.

"Ah, no, it must be the heat that's playing tricks on you," Nami whispered into his ear, pulling at the straps of her dress in a falsely forlorn action. "After all, it is so very hot today…Do Crocodile and Donquixote meet very often?" One strap fell down her arm. "Oh, oops."

He stared at that fallen strap. "Uh-huh…I see Donquixote come to the casino once a week. There he is, actually," the man said in surprise, pointing. Nami turned to look and saw a carriage with a crossed-out smiley face painted on it. "That's his mark, right there. Only he owns a stagecoach like that." He looked up as Nami stood, pulling something from the robes of her dress. "Miss?"

He flew several feet from a blow of her Clima Tact and was pulled into the bushes by a furious Sanji.

"Sorry, bud, you've seen too much," Franky said to the now-unconscious man as Sanji kicked a leg that was sticking out of the bushes into the leafy cover. "Aren't you overdoing it though, Sanji?"

"_He was touching Nami-san! Intimately! Unacceptable!" _Sanji growled with a particularly vicious kick.

Robin crossed her arms. "I have an eye and an ear in the carriage now. I'm going to listen in."

They crowded around her as she relayed what she heard directly to them.

"It appears as though there are two of them, with one man driving that I do not recognize. Blond, with a pink shirt. He looks rather vicious."

"Bellamy the Hyena," Vivi supplied.

"Swordsman-san and Donquixote are in the carriage."

---

Zoro stretched as much as he could, sprawling across the entire cushion that was on his side in an attempt to get comfortable. Donquixote watched in amusement at his antics.

"The ride is not long. We should be there soon," Donquixote said as the carriage bumped over a stone. The interior of the coach darkened. "Ah, it appears as though we have passed through. Do you hear that scraping sound? The slaves are being dragged in behind us." Zoro looked out the window and saw a wide passageway that led directly into the casino.

"How convenient," he mused.

"About the business we will be conducting today…I will prevent him from using his sand ability as soon after he examines the first slaves. When I give you the signal, you will proceed to clap these on his wrists and then remove his head," Donquixote said, gingerly holding up a pair of heavy stone handcuffs between a layer of heavy paper. Zoro recognized them as seastone. "You must be fast, though."

"Why? Can't you just hold him indefinitely? You had no problem screwing with my crew," Zoro grumbled.

Donquixote gave him a sidelong look before sighing. "I'd rather not take any risks. If he manages to disperse into sand before I can get a firm hold on him, then I will not be able to control all of him—and it will take only a single grain of sand in your eyes or mine to distract us enough to kill us."

---

"Same procedure as at that other casino?"

"Yep."

"Good. Let's go. If they're going to the slave room, then we should all know where that is. Congregate in the hall, out of sight of the main casino room."

"Understood."

---

"Ah, Donquixote, my good friend," Crocodile said with a broad smile that failed to reach his eyes. "How good to see you."

"You knew we were coming. Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to business, shall we?" Donquixote said, spreading his arms wide. "I know how eager you are to see these lovely young women."

Crocodile's grin shrunk into a slight smirk. "Of course. Shall we?" He let them go first. "That's an odd pet you have there, Donquixote."

Donquixote smiled. "He's well-trained and obedient. He's a much better package than that Bones you gave me. Stronger, too."

"Sounds wonderful," Crocodile said insincerely. The covers on the cages were whipped off and he gazed at the women cowering in the cages with great interest. "These flowers will get quite a good price, I'd say. Any ability users?"

Donquixote shook his head. "None that we know of. I tried to see if any of them had adverse responses to the seastone, but they are all too terrified to really see anything. Oh ho, this one's quite a beauty, isn't she?" he said, moseying over to a dark-haired women about Robin's age. "Like fine wine, she's mature and looks absolutely delectable. What's your name?"

The woman glared at him, refusing to touch the bars of the cages. "That is none of your business, peasant," she said arrogantly, despite her situation.

"Speaks like spitfire too! I like her," Donquixote said with a wild grin. "Maybe I'll keep this one for myself." He saw her eyes flicker to two of the other women. "Oh? Are these women your friends?" he asked gently, pointing to the two women she had inadvertently looked at.

One of them sobbed, "Nee-sama!"

"Sisters!" Donquixote said in feigned shock. "Oh, this is sweet. Tell me your name, or I give your sisters to the guards. I can make your sisters do whatever I want," he said in a low voice, fingers twiddling.

The woman glared at him before spitting out, "My name is Boa Hancock, you repulsive man."

Zoro stiffened slightly behind Donquixote, and she looked at the swordsman furiously. "You work for the man who enslaves the women of your own country? Speak, you traitor!"

He avoided both her eyes and Donquixote's, but remained silent. She spat on the ground derisively. As Donquixote moved to speak to Crocodile about the slaves on the other side of the room, Zoro walked past her cage to follow his master belatedly.

"Your beauty is on par with Nico Robin's. I am sorry, but I wish you the best of luck," he whispered softly, so that only she could hear. She looked at him in confusion before realization dawned on her face. She buried her face in her hands and shook wretchedly.

"So, Crocodile, how do they look? Good quality?" Donquixote asked the other Shichibukai jovially. Crocodile glanced at him and turned to inspect another woman in one of the cages.

"They are indeed…valuable…" Crocodile faltered as Donquixote's fingers rose and twitched. "…what is the meaning of this, Donquixote?"

Donquixote nodded to Zoro, who clapped the handcuffs on him and moved to slash at his throat. Crocodile's eyes widened, but he suddenly smiled.

"Unfortunately for you, I have never trusted my trading partners. Men!" They could hear people running into the room. "I have guards stationed all around this room, just in case you tried to betray me." Crocodile smirked as he looked at the people who had just entered. Suddenly, his eyes widened in true shock.

"CROCODILE!!!"

"What the hell?" Crocodile snapped.

---

"Vivi! What's up with all these guards?" Nami yelled over the commotion.

"I don't know! There's no auction today!" the princess shouted back, swinging her peacock blades. They saw Luffy run by in a blur of rubber fists and Sanji in a whirlwind of lethal kicks.

They had entered the casino peacefully and made their way into the hallway leading to the slave room. No one had seen them enter, and the entire group ran through the hall towards where Crocodile and Donquixote would be meeting.

What they found was a veritable horde of men, armed to the teeth and standing at attention. All wore the seal of Baroque Works.

They had attacked the crew immediately, realizing that they didn't belong. They were numerous, but stood no chance against a furious Mugiwara clan.

"Men!" Crocodile's voice echoed through the hall filled with fallen Baroque Works agents.

"CROCODILE!!!" Luffy roared, sprinting down to the slave room with the rest of the crew hot on his heels. They skidded into the room and saw the scene before them.

"What the hell?" Crocodile snapped. "What are you doing here? What happened to my guards?"

His next words were cut off—quite literally—as Zoro took this opportunity to slice his head off.

"Good work, Zoro-kun. Shall we go? Oh, be sure to remove the seastone from Crocodile. Expensive stuff, you know," Donquixote said smoothly, lowering his arms. Zoro could see the sweat beading on his forehead—from exertion, or nervousness? He could not tell, for the man looked as suave as ever. Donquixote turned to leave but was stopped by the Mugiwara crew standing in his way. Zoro held the seastone cuffs in his hand and stopped short as he saw the confrontation.

"Must we really go through all of this again?" Donquixote said wearily, raising his arms. Everyone stiffened as their limbs were rendered paralyzed by his ability.

"Zoro…" they gasped, fighting to force the words out. Zoro could see Chopper and Usopp quivering slightly from fear. Franky and Brooke were both shaking as well, but only from the effort to break free. Nami, Robin, and Vivi gazed at him imploringly. Luffy's teeth were gritted as he growled in a feral manner. Sanji was…wait…where was Sanji?

_Where's the shitty cook?_ Zoro thought in alarm as he looked around frantically. _That idiot better not try anything!_

A leather-clad foot whistled past his ear in a motion that would have felled him easily, if it had hit its mark. Zoro saw one curly eyebrow furrowed furiously as an onslaught of kicks were aimed at his most vulnerable spots.

"Stop it, you shitty cook!" Zoro roared. "Why can't you people just let things be?" His swords were out in an instant, bristling with unbridled fervor.

Sanji's legs grew hot with the friction and energy he was putting into it. "We're…not…leaving…" he panted. "Just come back, you marimo_!"_ The edge of his foot managed to slip past his defenses and clip the swordsman across the temple. He staggered, slashing and drawing a thin line of blood across one calf.

They stared at each other appraisingly.

"You would draw the blood of your own nakama?" Sanji said quietly.

"You kicked me first, idiot," Zoro hissed. "I _don't want to fight you! _Why can't you just understand that and leave?"

"Because a body needs all its parts to function! How are we going to leave if one of our arms is sliced away?" Sanji shouted. "Luffy's our Head, but you're his right-hand man!"

Zoro snorted. "What are you, then?"

"The stomach."

"Figures. Seems more fitting for Luffy, though."

"Stop getting away from the point! Do you really think you can live under this man? I thought you were the man whose sword was only used for his own ambitions. How can you become the greatest in the world if you're stuck with this monster?" Sanji snarled. "Think about it!"

_Kuina._

He had forgotten about Kuina. Their promise. His unspoken promise to those eight people gazing at him, waiting for the only answer that they would accept. He had only thought about the immediate repercussions, and their immediate safety.

_Did you really think this stupid plan that Donquixote planted in your head would ever work? _a voice hissed inside his mind.

Zoro shook his head.

"No."

"What the fuck do you mean, no?" Sanji uttered hoarsely. Luffy uttered a strangled cry.

Zoro walked to stand beside Donquixote. "When I say no, I mean…no."

A pair of seastone cuffs flew through the air.

The Mugiwara crew fell to the ground, not expecting the release of pressure on their bodies.

And Donquixote's sunglasses flew across the room in a spray of blood, his hands still twitching as his wrists were bound in seastone.

---

A/N: Of course Mr. Prince would be the one to avoid Donquixote's ability. Sneaky, isn't he? Just like at Enies Lobby. Or Arabasta.


	28. Chopsticks in your nose

A/N: Yes, Zoro has been cutting a lot of heads off, hasn't he?

---

Zoro panted slightly, looking down at the bodies of the two Shichibukai.

"Is this really…the skill of a Shichibukai?" Sanji said in shock, watching as Zoro wiped the blood from his sword on Donquixote's feather boa. Zoro looked up wearily and nodded blandly.

"No matter how suspicious Donquixote or Crocodile was, I doubt that Donquixote ever thought I'd betray him if your lives were at risk. He put surprising faith in the fact that I would do whatever he told me to if your lives were at risk. I even cut you," Zoro noted, pointing to the cut on Sanji's leg. The blond man grinned.

"Just a scratch. I'd never let you do anything more than that," he boasted, not without reason. His eye drifted to the other slaves and widened in horror. "Are those…geisha? Tell me they aren't, marimo."

Zoro nodded regretfully, rummaging in Donquixote and Crocodile's pockets for the keys. "Found them. Here, Prince, you can help me free them." Sanji snatched the keys that Zoro threw at him in midair and immediately moved to open the cages. The rest of the crew helped, still in slight shock after the sudden deaths of the two Shichibukai. It was absolutely surreal.

When Robin stepped forward and helped one of the women out of her cage, the woman looked up under wavy locks of hair that had escaped the confines of her bun and gasped.

"Robin-san?" she said softly. Robin looked down in astonishment as recognition dawned on her face.

"Marigold! Then, are your sisters…?" Robin's question died on her lips as Sandersonia ran towards them and Boa stepped regally out of her cage, shifting slightly to avoid Sanji's lovestruck touch.

"Robin!" Boa strode over and gripped Robin firmly by the arm. "Who are these people?" She paused, and then started over. "It's been ten years since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"

Robin nodded. "I couldn't bear to return to the teahouse," she said apologetically. "These people are my crew—no, my family."

Boa gazed at her without emotion. "I once considered you my sister, just as much as Marigold and Sandersonia."

Before Robin could reply, Sanji twirled in front of Boa with a rose (procured from where? No one knows) and prostrated himself before her. "Ah, such beauty as yours…" he began, eyes closed in ecstasy.

She kicked him aside as she turned to Robin again. "I will not question your choices. I'm sure that you are much happier now than you were with us."

"What are you plans from here?" Robin asked. The others gathered around to listen. "Will you return home?"

Boa shook her head. "It is no longer safe at home. The teahouse owners were killed when they refused to sell us as slaves, and we were taken by force. The men on the ships…they did strange things to us…" she said, shuddering violently.

"Strange things? Donquixote said that he wouldn't stand to have any of the women touched," Zoro said in surprise.

Boa waved her sisters over, and they trembled like cold jelly. "They fed us this disgusting fruit, and our bodies…" She trailed off. "It's the stuff of legends. I'm not sure you would believe me if you heard it."

Robin smiled gently. "Watch, sister." She crossed her arms, and all the geisha shrieked in shock as she sprouted arms, eyes, and ears around them. "You mean, strange things like this? Look." Luffy stretched his arms out with a grin, and Chopper switched from Walking Point to Brain Point shyly. Brooke waved cheerfully, much to their confusion—so far as they could tell, he was only very gaunt. "This is called the power of the devil—the Akuma no Mi, or Devil Fruit."

"Then…there are other people like us?" Sandersonia whispered hopefully.

Robin nodded. "Every Devil Fruit is unique, but whoever eats one will gain extraordinary powers."

Boa had been gazing at Zoro with an odd expression on her face. Her round eyes were regarded evenly by his own narrow ones.

"What are you motives, swordsman?" she asked at last, breaking the tension. "What drives you? You killed your master, but joined these people as readily as though your loyalties had been shuffled around."

"My ambition," he answered simply. He looked at Luffy and the crew, and his eyes softened slightly. "My crew."

Boa accepted his answer with a slow nod. "You worked for this man, correct?" she continued, gesturing to Donquixote.

"For a brief period, yes."

"Do you think we might obtain a ship, using his connections? I doubt anyone had caught wind of what has occurred here yet, and we must flee," Boa said.

"I'm sure that we can arrange something."

---

"Oi, Bellamy!" Zoro yelled waving Donquixote's man over. Zoro was striding purposefully out of the casino towards where Bellamy was waiting with the carriage.

"What do you want?" Bellamy demanded. Dince Donquixote was nowhere in sight, he didn't even try to be polite.

"Donquixote-san wants a ship prepared. He wants to reschedule his visit down the coast to tomorrow rather than next week. Can you do it?" Zoro asked, the tone in his voice testing the other man.

Bellamy snorted. "Of course I can. I'm Donquixote-san's most able man, after all. I'll be getting the _Flamingo_ ready to sail by tomorrow morning."

"Oh, he wants to take some of the slaves along, too. Turns out that he was quite interested in keeping a few of them," Zoro added.

"The _Flamingo_ is capable of carrying the entire shipment of slaves that we brought, plus some. Perhaps if you were a little more experienced with our affairs you would be aware of that," Bellamy scoffed. "I will return at sunset, then."

When Bellamy had left, Zoro returned to the slave room.

"That Hyena's going down to get the ship ready. The _Flamingo_ is all yours, Boa," Zoro said with a grin.

Hours later, when Bellamy returned, he found himself surrounded by members of the Mugiwara Crew. He was securely tied up and gagged in a seastone cage.

They rode back to Donquixote's mansion for the sake of keeping up the illusion of Donquixote's health. Zoro had insisted upon burying the men himself, and wiped his hands of their blood once their bodies were safe underground. The rest of the group watched it silence as he spat upon their unmarked graves contemptuously before turning away.

---

"This is Donquixote's mansion, huh? He must have been filthy rich," Franky noted, looking out the window of the crammed carriage. Even with a cart being pulled behind the carriage to accommodate the extra people, there was a notable lack of space.

"You guys alright back there?" Zoro called from the front where he was driving. "We're almost there."

"Why did that guy have to have such a long road leading to the main house?" Usopp grumbled.

"Hush. We've arrived, so wait here." Zoro jumped off the carriage and stopped Lily from opening the door. "Lily, Donquixote-san is planning on having guests over—you know, 'special ones.'" Zoro had been briefed the previous day that the Shichibukai would occasionally host small parties for his wealthiest customers. "Please go and prepare enough rooms and meals for…" Zoro counted in his head quickly. "Well, he said it was going to be a full house. He's conferring with one of his guests via Den Den Mushi, so please do not wait on him at the moment. I will bring him into the house."

Lily nodded. "Understood." She quickly ran off to accomplish her tasks.

Zoro waited until she had disappeared before throwing the door of the carriage open, allowing its occupants to spill out ungracefully. "Psst, let's go! We've got to hurry. I'll take you to my room first, and then I'll take care of the servants here." They sprinted up the stairs into the house, finally reaching Zoro's room after much looping and backtracking on part of the swordsman.

"Oi, marimo, I thought you told us to hurry," Sanji complained. "But you must have taken us everywhere except your room."

"Quiet, cook. We're here." Zoro opened the door and ushered everyone inside before shutting the door behind them. He was glad that his room was so large, or they would had been just as crammed as they had been on the ride to the mansion.

"This is your room, Zoro? Pretty nice, I must say," Nami said, obviously impressed. She immediately began to finger the wall hangings and ornaments in the room. "These would sell for a good price," she said happily, immediately beginning to fill a pillowcase with stolen goods.

Zoro shook his head at her actions and peeked out the door. "I need a way to summon all the servants without attracting suspicion. They won't listen to me alone," Zoro hummed as he thought. "I need a Donquixote look-alike. Someone who can pull off his look until we have everyone in the manor here. Damn, most of you are women. Usopp, your nose is too long. Luffy and Franky, your hair color would be hard to disguise. Chopper…er…yeah. Aha! Cook! C'mere!" Sanji was pushed to him by the rest of the group unwillingly. "Perfect! Come with me. We'll be right back."

Brooke shook his head, looking melancholy. "He didn't even consider me," he said sadly.

Zoro pulled Sanji up the stairs until they reached a large set of double doors. Zoro flung the door open and pushed Sanji inside, looking around hastily for any maids who might be tidying up. He then opened the drawers and began to pull out clothes from all the drawers. "Look for something that'll fit you, cook. You're going to Donquixote for tonight. I think this is what that guy was wearing today." Zoro tossed an armful of clothing at Sanji and rummaged in the closets and drawers until he found another pair of tinted glasses and a pink feather boa. When he realized that Sanji wasn't moving, Zoro looked up. "What are you doing? Hurry up, baka!"

Zoro was kicked from the bedroom into the adjacent study and scowled as the door was shut and locked behind him.

"Geez, if you're shy about changing in front of me, just say so…pansy…" Zoro growled.

---

"Why the hell do I have to walk like this, shitty swordsman?"

"That's how he walks, dumbass. You saw him."

"But I feel like I'm trying to squat and take a shit."

"…"

"Nevermind. This better work, or I'm going to kill you. This pink feather boa _so_ does not go with this pinstriped shirt. Are you sure this is what he was wearing?"

"Positive. Lily!" Zoro called the maid over to him. "I need you to summon all the servants to this room. Donquixote-san has an extremely important announcement concerning today's guests. He had a spot of trouble with Crocodile, which is why his throat isn't working very well." He gestured to the pseudo-Donquixote's throat, which was wrapped thickly in the boa that covered a good portion of his face as well. The chef was looking in the other direction, hiding the fact that his hair was still covering one eye. "Every single servant, worker, chef, stableboy, and so on. Everyone. Understand?"

"Yes, _sir_," Lily said sarcastically, not liking his tone. Nevertheless, she flounced off to complete her task.

"See? She didn't even notice that you weren't Donquixote."

"Quiet, marimo. That doesn't console me."

It wasn't long until the room was filled with workers standing at attention. Lily closed the door and waited expectantly.

Zoro strode swiftly to lock the doors—the only entrance and exit to the room.

"Er, what did you need?" Sarquiss asked nervously. He had lost his arrogant tone at the serious look on the swordsman's face.

Sanji and Zoro nodded to each other from across the room. Several of the workers wore horrified expressions as they realized their mistake.

The servants didn't stand a chance.

---

Once Donquixote's underlings had been dispatched, everyone sat down to the large meal that had been prepared by the (now unconscious) chefs. The meal was boisterous as usual, with Sanji rushing to the kitchens whenever the food supply was dangerously low and the diners showed no signs of slowing down.

"Zahaha, this food is pretty good!" one of the geisha cackled. Once the women had been freed, they had shed their meek dispositions and become far more animated than anyone could expect.

"Like this, Luffy-chan?" one of the other women asked, maneuvering her chopsticks.

"Yes! Like that! Now say 'ku!'" Luffy cried as he danced along the tables with Usopp and Chopper. All of them were sporting chopsticks stuck up their noses.

"How obscene…" another geisha sighed.

As the meal was finally finished and everyone sat back with satisfied groans, Sanji swept in with a serving tray of tea and desserts.

"For a garden of such dainty flowers, might I offer my humble gratitude for allowing me to bask in your glory?" Sanji sang, serving the tea.

"Ignore him," Nami said with a sigh. "What are your plans from here?"

Boa sipped daintily from her cup. "We cannot return East. My people will travel West instead. We have heard tales of cultures where the women are as strong as the men, and hope to shed our former lives as mere entertainers to true warriors. We shall not bend to the whim of mere men any longer." The other geisha nodded in agreement. "We will be leaving tonight. The loss of two prominent men and over a dozen slaves is no small matter, and we cannot afford to linger longer than necessary. The cover of the night will be sufficient. Robin, do you not wish to join us again?"

Robin shook her head. "I must decline. My place is here now, with my family."

Boa nodded in understanding. "So be it. We must depart, now. I thank you for the meal. Let's go," she said imperiously. The women left, waving goodbye before leaving. All wore armor and weapons that they had picked up while Zoro and Sanji had been busy taking care of the servants.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Chopper asked in trepidation.

"Even if they're not familiar with the city, they looked very determined," Robin mused, looking thoughtful. "I'm sure they'll be fine. The docks aren't very hard to locate, after all."

"What is our next move, then?" Zoro asked. "Luffy, Crocodile is dead. Donquixote is dead. The only thing left…?"

Luffy looked to Vivi for guidance. "This is your country, Vivi. What do you plan to do next?"

She placed her cup on the table with a slight _chink._ "All that is left is to speak to the rebel leaders and to my father. Now that the leaders are out of the picture, we can return things to peace without any bloodshed."

After talking for several hours longer, the pirates retired to bed.

---

Zoro was stalking through the room full of tied-up servants, checking their bonds and ensuring that none would escape at this inopportune time.

"Need help, cabbage head?"

Zoro didn't look up. He'd recognize the speaker anywhere.

"Go back to bed, cook. You've done enough for today."

"It doesn't seem quite right. You know, letting the person who saved our asses stay up and do a job like this." Pale hands joined tan ones to help tighten the bonds of a glaring, gagged butler. "You know, about those things I said before…about you being whipped and all…"

"Shut it, cook. I don't need to hear any apologies." Zoro looked at the other man suspiciously. "You're being too nice. What do you want from me?"

Sanji looked at him evenly and extended a hand.

"Thanks, Zoro. For not leaving us behind."

Zoro grumbled to cover up his embarrassment—it wasn't often that others thanked him for things like that. "'s alright, cook. I know that being nice like this must be gratin' on your nerves." He turned around and slapped a stable boy upside the head as the boy tried to saw through his bonds with a pocketknife.

Sanji chuckled. "You're right. I could have taken those guys down, anyway."

"You wish, cook."

The two fighting foundations of the crew resumed their normal bickering routine, glad that the awkwardness was over.


	29. Rebels

A/N: A bit late...again. Hopefully you were appeased a bit by my short story?

---

Zoro looked down at the city that was about to be overturned, smashed, and rebuilt by the delicate hands of a princess. He stood on the rooftop of the city's clock tower, looking at the trails of paint running all over the city. He could see oranges, blues, purples, reds, greens, and so on. He looked behind him and laughed ruefully at the green line that he was standing on.

The paint had been Usopp's idea. It was disguised as a city-wide art project under Donquixote's name. With both Donquixote and Crocodile out of commission, there was no one to question this, and the citizens merely shrugged it off as another one of the Shichibukai's eccentricities. After all, what else would you expect from someone as flamboyant as that? They had stationed themselves all over the city, in case there was a problem from an outside source.

Zoro snorted. The lines were all nonsensical, painting a pattern that was aesthetically pleasing around the city. Only the green lines had any meaning.

They were to keep him from getting lost.

He yawned in boredom, wondering if he had time for a quick nap.

---

Vivi walked confidently through the tents, ignoring the stares from the men and the bristling weapons that were strewn all over the place. She walked right up to the central tent, grimacing as she saw the stamp of the rebellion on everyone's faces in the form of despair.

She didn't enter the tent. Instead, she shouted.

"KOHZA!"

The men around her stiffened and pointed their weapons at her. Even if she was a woman, she was still veiled, and one couldn't be too careful in these times. She knew that even if the situation was dangerous, that help was nearby. Even if Usopp was the closest—for strategic reasons—she was still comforted.

A tanned man threw back the flaps of the tent, his dark glasses reflecting the light of the afternoon that passed through the canopies of tents.

"Who might you be, miss?" he asked politely, ignoring the fact that she had simply walked up and called him out in broad daylight.

Vivi kept her veil on, and lowered her voice. "Are you truly the leader of this rebellion, Kohza?" she asked.

He nodded. "Aye, I am. I don't believe I know your name yet, though."

She hesitated, and then threw back her veil and hood, revealing her face to him. "It's been a long time."

The first few seconds, he simply gazed at her coldly without recognition. When it hit him, it was as though a bullet had struck his chest. He gaped at her, not quite believing his eyes. "Vivi? Princess Vivi!" he shouted. Around him, the men were hastily pointing their weapons away from her. "What are you doing here? Everyone thought that you were dead!"

"I may as well be dead, Kohza, for all that has happened to my country in my absence. How did things get so bad?"

"Oh, you mean the slavery and the whole Crocodile-Donquixote affair?" He looked around cautiously. "Come with me into my tent. It's not safe out here." He brought her back into his base.

"Why are you rebelling, if you know the causes of the turmoil?" she demanded.

Kohza sighed. "It's a long story, Vivi…"

---

Zoro grumbled as he squatted in the clock tower, thinking that Luffy was a little smart to carry meat around in his pockets in case of an emergency. His stomach rumbled, complaining about the lack of fuel.

"That cook's been spoiling me," he muttered angrily. "I used to be able to go for days without any food, but look at me now."

He heard the faint sounds of three gunshots in quick succession and sprang to his feet, scanning the horizon. A few moments later, he saw a flash of fire rising in the sky in the shape of a phoenix, and he knew it was time. He ran down the stairs, down the path that the green line made for him. He ran through the streets, watching the people around him to make sure that no one was running in the same general direction as he was. Suddenly, he stopped.

He realized that he was running on a blue line rather than a green one.

---

"Vivi, the king is the one that has been buying the most slaves," Kohza said seriously. "Not just laborers, but women too."

"That's a lie! Why would you say something like that?" Vivi cried, pounding his chest weakly. "My father—"

"I've known your father for as long as I've known you, Vivi. I know that he's not that kind of man. But…we've _seen_ him. We have people working in the auctions, and we've seen him bidding on slaves with outrageous prices—tax dollars, in other words. Even if slavery is a vice, he encourages it. If we want to get rid of it, we have to remove the man supporting it first. He's stated that it anyone tries to abolish slavery, then they will have to answer to the Royal Armies."

Vivi sniffed, searching desperately for an answer. "Maybe…it's all a mistake…"

"There's no mistaking it, Vivi. I went myself and saw with my own eyes. He took one of the women that he bought and brought her into the palace. Even Chaka and Pell were there, although they didn't look like they approved."

"Please, Kohza…give us time. Just a little time. I'll prove that what you said is false, and that my father wasn't the one doing that." The sound of strangled cries interrupted their conversation.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible," a voice said from the doorway. Vivi and Kohza looked up and saw a man leering at them, his blade dripping with blood. Vivi paled when she saw that a Baroque Works tattoo was on his arm, where someone had managed to slice his sleeves.

"Baroque Works…!" she gasped. Kohza stood, drawing his gun, but didn't have time to avoid the slashing motion that the other man made.

Vivi ran outside and pulled out a pistol, shooting it three times into the air.

---

Usopp sat, waiting for the signal. At the sound of gunfire, he counted the number of shots carefully. Although he blanched when he counted three, he immediately loaded Kabuto and let a missile into the sky.

"Hissatsu Fire Bird Star!"

After firing, he leapt down the stairs from the rooftop he was stationed on and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

---

The butt of a gun slapped Vivi hard across the face after she had fired the three shots, knocking her down. Rough hands grabbed the gun, which she relinquished without a struggle, and began to tie her up.

"Kohza…" she whispered, looking into the tent to see his prone form. His eyes glittered as he looked at her sadly, unable to move due to his injury. His glasses lay on the ground, crushed.

"So, Princess Vivi has finally decided to return, has she?" the BW man growled, kicking her to turn her face-up. "I'm sure your father will pay a pretty penny to buy his slave of a daughter. Men, tie her up!"

"Gladly," a familiar voice growled. Vivi squirmed to see what was going on as she heard the men grunting in pain as someone—a very chivalrous someone—beat them within an inch of their lives. "Vivi-chan, are you alright?" Gentle hands removed her bonds and helped her to her feet.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun," Vivi said in relief. "Where are the others?"

"I'm sure they'll be here soon. I probably made it here first because…" He twirled madly. "…love defeats even logic! Even if I was stationed the furthest, I came first because—"

"—because you're a pervert," Zoro finished. "Huh, so I did follow the right line." His legs were splattered with wet paint in all the colors of the rainbow.

"You!" Sanji scowled. "Why is there so much paint on you? All you had to do was follow the green line, baka."

"Well…the green line turned blue, and then red, and then yellow…but I got here just fine," Zoro said with a mite of pride.

The sound of running feet signaled the arrival of the rest of the crew.

"Awe, Sanji, you already took them out? That's no fun," Luffy pouted. "At least I got to fight those guys who were running in from the neighborhoods. What happened, Vivi? I heard three shots…"

"Ah, Kohza! Chopper, I need you to take a look at him," Vivi said desperately. "He was injured by a sword." Chopper ran into the tent. As they waited for him to come out, Vivi explained what had happened.

"He said something about my father buying slaves. It _can't_ have been him, Luffy. I know that my father wouldn't do something that foul. Even if they saw him doing it, there must be…some mistake."

Zoro wracked his brains as her words triggered a memory in the back of his mind. "Is Baroque Works still active, then?"

She looked at him in surprise. "The groups are pretty autonomous. Crocodile and Donquixote are just there to put a bit of force and reputation behind them, and to make the big decisions. In affairs like this, I'm sure that they can go along without too much guidance. Why?"

"Someone's still working on Crocodile's orders."

---

Vivi had had Kohza speak to the rebels, telling them that all plans were halted until further notice. While the injured man spoke, other BW members had swarmed into the rebel's base from all over the city, flooding the area with raucous yells and calls for backup. They had been quickly dispatched when the pirates had run through the city from their stations, effectively hitting every stream of men that tried to interfere with their plans. Vivi then joined the pirates in their new set of plans.

"We're going to storm the castle."

Her words rang clearly in the little tent that Kohza had commissioned for their use, and she slammed a hand on a crate that served as a makeshift table.

"What were you talking about before, Mr. Bushido?" she asked, using her pet name for him.

Zoro hummed slightly as he tried to remember what Donquixote had said when he had first met him.

"Well, you remember at the auction? I was being sold with you guys, but…that wasn't me."

Nami's eyes widened at the mention of that incident. "Oh, yeah! We all just passed it off as you having been captured but…something was off. We all forgot about it after you had, ah, begun working for Donquixote. What was that?"

Zoro thought back to the auction...

"_A Devil Fruit user," Donquixote said with a grin. "He goes by the name of Bon Kurei."_

"Apparently this Bon Kurei guy can masquerade as anyone because of a Devil Fruit. Really troublesome, that," Zoro remarked. "If he was acting in my place at the auction, then it wouldn't be surprising if he was acting as the king, too."

"But then, what happened to the real king?" Chopper asked.

"I don't know," Zoro said worriedly. "It could be anything."

---

Dark lashes blinked over thick black lines painted on a surprisingly pale face for the desert climate. A sigh echoed by the soughing wind blew lightly, and he jumped off the roof.

Pell felt the wind rushing under his fingers and willed himself to gain his falcon form, breathing in deeply as he rose on the warm currents of wind. Even if he could never swim (a fact that was not much of a problem when there wasn't any water here, anyway) he reveled in the fact that the wind was far warmer and friendlier to a man like him.

Fate, however, was far less amiable. The king had just ordered him to go launch a surprise attack in order to allow the ground troops to storm the rebel's base.

He flew, knowing that it was only in the air that he was free from the king's strange disposition and orders.

Unusual movement in the streets caught his eyes and he looked down, wondering what was going on. Moving in large groups had been forbidden, due to the danger of rebellion, so why were there ten people running towards the castle?

He changed his course, the wind whistling in his feathers as he raced back to the palace.

---

"So, we're just going to run into the palace?" Franky puffed incredulously as they ran along. "Seems a bit far-fetched to me."

"There's no reason for the princess of this kingdom not to, is there? Especially after her long absence," Brooke supplied. "I'm sure the king will be overjoyed to see her."

"If he's the real king," Zoro muttered. "Oi, Vivi, how can you check if he's the real deal?"

They stopped in front of the long flight of stairs that lead up to the palace doors. "If he cannot answer questions about my childhood, then I'll know. That's the only real way," she said sadly. They began to run up the stairs.

"Halt! State your name and purpose!" Two guards stepped in their way, wary of their unknown faces and foreign appearance despite their attempts to blend in. Japanese heritage just doesn't blend well with Egyptian ones.

Vivi stood, her hands on her hips and a glare on her face. "Do you not recognize your princess?" she cried. They paled, and bowed in apology.

"Princess…you have returned!" one muttered.

"Please excuse our rudeness," the other said, waving them through.

Sanji grinned. "It's kind of nice to have royalty on your side, huh? Looks like we don't need to 'storm the palace, if we can just walk on in."

They were met at the doors by a well-built man with hair cut at a sharp angle and a face that was just as angular and stern. His severe countenance melted when he saw Vivi.

"It can't be…Princess Vivi?" he whispered. "You have come back." It was more of a statement than a question, and his eyes crinkled into a wide smile as he pulled her into an embrace. "So you were the intruders that Pell spoke of!"

"Are Pell and Igaram here, too?" Vivi asked, looking around. The man she was looking for jumped lightly down from the sky, all traces of feathers gone as he was in his human form, and Igaram ran out from the palace doors.

"Welcome back, Princess," Pell said gently. "We're all very relieved to see that you are safe and well. But who are these people?"

Igaram wrapped his arms in an undignified bearhug around Vivi. "You've arrived safely!"

Luffy jumped forward with a wide grin. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. Nice to meet you!" The two palace guards smiled in return at this exuberant greeting.

"Ah, but I'm sure that there is a very good reason for your return," Chaka said. "Let's go in, shall we? I will call the king, as well."

They were brought to what appeared to be the main dining hall. Guards stood at attention all around, giving the atmosphere a tense feel. Vivi shifted nervously as she sat beside Luffy, waiting for the king to appear.

"Ah, my daughter has come home!" A loud and animated voice shouted from the door. Vivi winced at the sound—he was already too exuberant, too _rowdy_ to be her father. Cobra leapt towards his daughter, with one leg trailing behind him in a ballerina-esque fashion. "Come give your father a kiss!"


	30. Okama Way

A/N: Late update, again .

---

"Vivi-chaaan~!" Cobra sang, twirling as he pranced to his daughter. "Come give daddy a kiss!" Lips that were puckered far too much threatened to stab her face. Vivi shrank back, putting her hands out to stop the slobbery onslaught.

_Was he wearing lipstick?_

It must have just been her imagination.

"Oh, papa!" she cried awkwardly, deflecting his kisses with a tight hug. "I've missed you so much!"

Cobra wiped his eyes, suddenly composing himself as he looked around. "But who are your friends?" he asked. Zoro thought he could see the king's eyes narrow slightly as he looked at them.

"Oh, they are the ones who helped me come home," Vivi said airily. "But let's sit down, shall we? Oh, coming back to the palace brings back old memories." Vivi hastily began 'Operation see-if-this-guy's-really-my-father.' "Do you remember when Carue and I used to play with the Suna Suna clan when I was a child? Or when Kohza broke his arm fighting those thugs?" Vivi chattered, watching as Cobra hastily nodded. "Or when I was kidnapped by those African slavers?" Cobra nodded fervently.

Vivi smiled, gesturing. Sanji and Zoro flanked Cobra, gripping him tightly by the arms.

"You fiends! What are you doing to his Majesty?" the guards shouted, surrounding them. None of the pirates were fazed.

Vivi stood directly in front of Cobra, pointing a finger straight at his face. "You, sir, are a fraud! Reveal yourself…Bon Kurei!"

Cobra stared at her obstinately. "Guards! What are you doing? Get these traitors out of my sight!" He gulped when Zoro put a blade up against his neck, scratching the hairs on his chin gently.

"Now, _Your Majesty,_ I certainly wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen if you were to keep speaking," Zoro growled. The guards glared at them helplessly. Chaka and Pell also watched in silence, not moving a single muscle.

Cobra continued to glower indignantly.

Zoro sighed and whispered into his ear. "Donquixote and Crocodile are dead. You have no employer now. Don't you want to give up this charade, Bon Kurei?" Cobra shuddered, shivering slightly, and finally slumped down in defeat.

"Release my left arm, and I will go quietly," he said. When he tapped his face with his left hand, everyone flinched.

"He'd be better off using the king's face," Sanji muttered under his breath.

Bon Kurei looked around at the satisfied pirates and the shocked guards. "You've caught me," he said calmly. "I've got no reason to fight if I don't have anyone to work for. Here." He dug a key out of his pocket, tossing it to Vivi. "Go free your papa, princess. He's actually a pretty nice guy. I'm sorry that I had to do this to him."

"What are we going to do with him now?" Franky asked, scratching his head perplexedly.

"Loose strings will only mean further trouble. It would be most convenient if we killed him," Robin noted, speaking as though she were referring to a plant specimen.

"K-kill me?" Bon Kurei squeaked. "But I just gave in peacefully! Can't we all just be friends? It was purely a circumstantial situation that led to our problems!"

Zoro definitely didn't trust this man. His senses were tingling, and his swords were singing for a chance to make this man bow to his will.

It definitely _wasn't because the man was wearing lipstick!  
_

Erhem. Zoro calmed himself down before approaching Bon Kurei.

"You do realize that if you plan to backstab us, that you have no protection? Donquixote and Crocodile are gone—I've seen to that—and even Donquixote's men have been taken care of. Daz Bones is dead, as well." Bon Kurei paled visibly when he heard about the deaths of these men, but stayed firm.

"I have never had any reason to hold a grudge against these people, or even you," Bon Kurei said earnestly. "I was loyal to them, but what's the point of loyalty to a dead man?"

"Zoro, stop it." Luffy spoke up, quietly but firmly. Zoro stood back.

"Are you sure, captain?"

"He's a good guy. I can tell."

Zoro shrugged. He trusted his captain's instincts, as long as food didn't influence the man's decisions.

"Excellent!" Bon Kurei squealed. "Let us go find your dear papa, shall we, princess?" He bounded out of the room, holding the door open graciously. "But ah, first, let me change out of these clothes. I don't feel right _at all_ wearing this!" He disappeared and reappeared in a flash, dressed in the bright pink tights and skirt of a foreign dancer. "Ah, this is muuuch better."

Zoro stared. He'd seen those skirts before, when he had gone romping in the red light districts of France... "Don't tell me…you're French?"

"Mais, oui! Of course! This outfit was designed in Paris, after all. The ballerinas there simply have the most divine outfitters, I couldn't resist. Isn't it pretty?"

Zoro groaned. _I chose to spend the majority of my life in the country that spawned this man. Great._

Bon Kurei led them through the palace to a pair of firm iron doors at the outskirts of the building.

"The dungeons? You kept my father in the dungeons?" Vivi cried, rushing to open the door. Bon Kurei nodded ruefully.

"The boss ordered me to keep him down here. I assure you, though, that he's been kept in the best of care," Bon Kurei insisted. "Regular meals, ample space to move around, and minimum security. Hey, Paula! Paula, honey! It's me!" A buxom woman strode out of the dungeon, her thick hair curled into tight spirals that bobbed around her head.

"What do you want?" she asked, in a manner that was friendly with a hint of poison underneath. She watched the Mugiwaras with slight suspicion, but was surprisingly calm about the large group facing her.

"We haven't got an employer anymore. That means, no orders and no pay. We're letting the king go," Bon Kurei said simply. She cocked her eyebrows, but didn't seem particularly disturbed.

"Hmm…you sure?"

"Positive."

"Doesn't seem right to just let all this hard work go to waste, you know. Those two palace guard dogs almost caught us transporting him."

"They're aware of our activities. They probably won't take punitive measures if we give the king up right now."

"'Probably'?"

"Are you going to give the king back or not?" Zoro asked impatiently. The two BW agents were chatting like they were on a Sunday picnic.

Paula sighed femininely. "Oh, I guess there's no reason not to anymore, is there? Go on ahead. He tried to escape a few times, so he might be a little banged up." She gestured towards the depths of the dungeon, and the whole group began to move down.

"Wait," Nami said. "Some of us should wait here. You know, just in case there's trouble." She stayed behind with Usopp, Brooke, and Franky as the others went down.

They passed cell after cell—most of them were empty, but a few had prisoners rocking quietly in the corners, awaiting their fates. Vivi suspected that many of them had been sold as slaves, rather than sent to be judged like they were supposed to be. They kept walking, inspecting each cell, until they found the king's prone form leaning against the fall.

"Papa!" Vivi cried, running to open the door. She stopped, staring, when he looked up and smiled weakly. His arms were leaning at awkward angles against the wall, and he winced in pain with every movement. Thick, black thorns had been jabbed into his arms and legs, pinning him against the wall in a grotesque manner. Dried blood coated his face and limbs, indicating that he had been in that position for a while. "Who did this to you?"

He coughed as Chopper rushed forward to safely remove the thorns. "The woman…Paula…" he groaned miserably.

"Good living conditions, huh?" Zoro snarled at Bon Kurei. "What the hell were you talking about?"

Bon Kurei stared at the spectacle regretfully. "I had no idea that he would have tried to escape. But with Paula guarding him, this is no surprise. She has a Devil Fruit power, you know? She can produce thorns from every part of her body."

With the thorns finally extricated from Cobra's body, they proceeded to carry the wounded man gently back up the stairs. They found the group that they had left behind knocked unconscious, and Paula was gone.

"What happened?" Luffy shouted, running over and slapping Franky in a manner that was less than gentle to wake him up. "Franky! Wake up!"

"Ugh…get off of me, Mugiwara…" Franky groaned. He sat up, clutching his head. Around him, the others were being woken up and having similar reactions. "My head hurts like hell," he moaned.

"Who did this to you?" Luffy asked, his eyes downcast as he saw the state his crew was in.

"That woman. Paula. She threw a smoke bomb on the ground…there must have been some narcotic laced in the smoke, because the moment the cloud hit us, everything started to spin," Franky replied. He stood unsteadily, looking around. "She's gone, huh? Maybe we can get some answers out of this guy." He jabbed a thick thumb at Bon Kurei, who paled.

"You'll have to interrogate him later. We need to get the king back to the palace for treatment," Chopper interrupted. "If we're not careful, he'll lose the use of his arms and legs."

They returned back to the main wings of the palace, carrying Cobra in the middle with Bon Kurei being escorted by Zoro, Sanji, and Franky.

---

"Mr. 0 is really dead, then?"

"Mr. 1 is, as well. Mr. 2 confirmed that, although I do not think we can depend on him any longer."

"Whaaat….aboouuut…"

"Shut up! You talk too slowly! What about Cobra and Vivi?"

"Guarded by the ones who defeated you, Miss Merry Christmas."

"Hmm, we must think rationally about our next decision. Have all the officer agents been notified?"

"They have, Mr. 3. The Millions and Billions, however, have been almost entirely wiped out."

"What! By who?"

"The main forces were taken out by those pirates on the day Donquixote and Mr. 1 were scheduled to meet. The ones who had infiltrated the rebellion have also been slaughtered by the pirates. The last group is still standing, although there have been deserters."

"I see. Shall we move out, then? It appears as though there is no further reason for us to stay. We cannot afford to try and take Mr. 2 with us, either."

"Agreed."

---

Vivi sat alone in the palace infirmary with her father, watching the landscape outside of her window wistfully. The Mugiwaras had all chosen to search the city for any BW officers who might cause a ruckus. In the meantime, she sat quietly trying to figure out a way to restore faith in the kingdom.

"Vivi! We're back!" Luffy cried happily, bursting through the door. The others followed at a more sedate pace.

"Welcome back, everyone! Oh, but…where is Mr. Bushido?" she asked, counting heads.

"That marimo didn't meet us at the designated spot. He'll be back when he figures out which direction is right or left," Sanji snorted. "But the funny thing is, Vivi-chan, that we didn't find anything. Baroque Works seems to have disappeared without a trace."

"What do you mean?" Vivi asked in alarm. "A giant organization like that, no matter how covert, can't just up and leave in the space of a few hours, can they?"

"It looks as though they have," Robin said grimly. "We asked around, but all the locals said that the ships suddenly left the harbor. Not a single member is left in the city."

"Do you know where they went?" Vivi asked.

Everyone shook their heads. No one in the city had any inkling as to why this had occurred.

Zoro burst into the room, panting from exertion and clutching a stitch in his side.

"Ah, there's the last little lost sheep," Sanji chuckled.

"Shut up, cook," Zoro said. "I've got information on Baroque Works."

"Super! How'd you get it?" Franky asked excitedly.

"I went back to Donquixote's place. It turns out that while Crocodile only had people from Baroque Works working for him, Donquixote employed a pirate crew. To make a long story short…a large ship bearing Donquixote's mark as a Jolly Roger was seen sailing out with Baroque Works' vessels. If we can assume that they were going in the same direction—and if they chose to leave at the same time, it's likely—then we can know where they're going."

"Just because they were going together doesn't mean that we know where they were going, though," Usopp objected.

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Let me finish. Donquixote didn't employ only the pirates to work under him. A few maids, stable boys, and other servants were native to this country and were left behind. I found one of them and asked him a few questions," Zoro said, smiling the way a cat seems to grin after eating a canary. "They're going in the same general direction—back to western Europe. Baroque Works is going back to England, but the Bellamy Pirates are going to Spain."

"Who do we go after, then?" Chopper asked.

Luffy looked at Vivi. "Vivi, what do you want? Do you want to pursue them and make sure that they never come back, or do you want to let them go?"

Vivi looked out the window at the capital, imagining the horrors that the people must have gone through during her absence. She looked down at her father, who was sleeping with a slight frown of pain on his face. Vivi then turned to the silent pirates, who watched her carefully. They all wore expressions that said very clearly just how willing they were to track those men down and wipe them out.

"No. I think…it's best that they're gone. I don't think they'll dare to come back without Crocodile or Donquixote to back them up." Vivi smiled brightly. "After all, now things can start to get back to normal, right?"

Everyone nodded, before retiring to bed. The whole affair had been extremely tiring.

---

Due to the exhausting nature of the "Save Egypt" project, Zoro only woke up once it was time for dinner. As he blinked his eyes wearily, he found that he was alone in the large room that had been requisitioned for them to sleep in, and that the window shades were drawn. He stumbled out of bed and rubbed his eyes, opening the door to find that the hallways were brightly lit and that noise was echoing down the hallway. He trudged down the hall and found himself staring at what had to have been the biggest celebration he'd ever seen.

"Urp…" he groaned, his head spinning as he took in all the light and noise. Luffy jumped over to him, already partially rotund as he clutched a ham hock in one hand and an enormous rice ball in the other.

"Zoro! You're awake! You were sleeping _forever_, you know," Luffy exclaimed, spraying a rather nasty mix of chewed pork, rice, and spit in Zoro's face.

Zoro rubbed the food away in disgust. "What's all this?" His mood improved significantly when he saw a bucket filled with bottles of alcohol, and he grabbed one appreciatively.

"It's a party! Duh!"

"We went out to squash out—er, talk the rebelling citizens out of any mutinous thoughts they might have had, and to free whatever slaves might be remaining. But we found that Kohza had already started, and that there was little left for us to do," Sanji explained, setting down a heavy tray of steaming fish. "So we're celebrating!"

"What about the slaves that the okama bought?" Zoro asked, swiping a hot piece of fish off the tray while avoiding Sanji's outraged kicks.

"Idiot! This was for Vivi-chan!" Sanji snarled. Zoro grinned cheekily at him, picking at his teeth with a fishbone. "Hrmph. Well, it turns out that all he would do was teach them ballet. He, um, doesn't like women." Sanji turned red as he spoke, and Zoro could see red marks all over the cook's body.

"Is that lipstick, cook?"

"Shut up! He's stronger than you'd think, and I couldn't get away!"

"…that sounds so weird."

"…"

Zoro walked away from the mortified chef with a smirk and found Bon Kurei dancing happily with the rest of the crew.

_He sure assimilates quickly, doesn't he?_ Zoro thought absently. "What the hell, might as well party with the rest of them." He dropped into a chair and watched the pirates mingling with the Egyptians—royalty, royal guards, and civilians included—freely, without inhibitions. They celebrated late into the night, letting go of their troubles for the time being.


	31. Benvenuto

A/N: Augh, I haven't updated this one because...of distractions. Gomen -_-

One of my favorite scenes from the Arabasta arc was when the Straw Hat crew left Vivi, but they were pouting and stuff. Luffy's reaction to Zoro's suggestion was the best, haha.

---

Once everything had been settled in Alubarna, the pirates decided that it was time to go. It wouldn't bode well for the desert kingdom to be found harboring international fugitives, after all.

Luffy stood on the plank that led to the Sunny's deck, hands resolutely on hips.

"Vivi, are you sure that you want to stay?" Luffy asked, almost pleadingly.

Vivi smiled gentle as she nodded. "I would love to continue sailing with everyone, but I have my duties here. I can't just sail around on adventures anymore, you know?" She shook her head, as though she wanted to shake off the temptation. "I'll really miss you, though."

Luffy nodded in understanding. She was a princess, after all, not a pirate.

"Have a safe trip!" Vivi cried over the sound of the breaking waves. She could hear the yells of the Mugiwara Crew being shouted back at her, and smiled as the ship slowly left the harbor, blinking back tears. After such a joyous occasion, it would hardly be appropriate, after all.

Luffy took one last look at the princess standing in the harbor. Everyone stood at the railing, waving their farewells. Zoro sighed as he turned around and went back to settle down comfortably for his afternoon nap.

"Hey, shouldn't someone be steering the ship?" he called out, peering over the side of the stairwell he was sitting beside. He saw that the rest of the crew was still standing at the rail, frozen in the motion of waving to Vivi. "Oy, did you hear me?" He heard someone sniff. That one sniffle was joined by another, and another, until the entire crew (except for Robin, who merely smiled in amusement) turned around with tears running down their faces and dejected expressions stamped across their visages. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Zoro asked in bewilderment.

"Vivi's…g-g-g-gone…!" Chopper wailed, running over to wrap his stubby arms around Zoro in an attempt to comfort himself. He was joined by the rest of the weeping crew in an enormous group hug.

"O-oi!" Zoro yelped, trying to climb out of the veritable stranglehold that he was in. "Get off of me, you idiots! That better not be someone's hand—_oi!"_ He finally managed to extricate himself from the pile. "You should have just taken her with us by force, then, you idiots!"

Chopper looked up at him with watery eyes. "You Neanderthal!" he shrieked, going into his human form and locking Zoro in a headlock.

"Monster!"

"Marimo!"

"Santoryuu!"

"Hey, Luffy, that's not an insult."

"Yontoryuu."

"You just added another sword! Listen, you know natto, right? That could mean something like 'you stink!' you know?"

"Nitoryuu."

"Oi! Listen!"

---

As they ate dinner that night, Nami began to lay out their next path of action.

"This—" she pointed to a spot on the map she had unrolled "—is where we are right now." The chopstick she was using as a pointer slid through the narrow sea between two land masses. "This is where we're going. The city in the central part of this peninsula is supposed to be one that is rich with history—I thought Robin might be interested in that."

"Are you speaking of Rome?" Robin asked, excitement and curiosity evident in her voice. "It was once, and probably still is, the cultural capital of Italy. The ruins there date back to centuries ago!"

Nami smiled. "I also thought that it would be a good time to relax. If we go north after that, we can also visit the City of Lights—Venice." Her eyes sparkled. "There are supposed to be priceless art artifacts and treasures…!"

"Don't go looting the city," Zoro grumbled. "I don't want to have to be on the run again."

"The country is known for its wine, too," Nami said slyly.

"That stuff's more to the cook's liking, not mine. Give me good old Russian vodka, and I'll be good."

"Russia's too cold," Usopp said with a shudder. "I heard that if you go there, that the breath forms icicles in your mouth even before you can breathe!"

"Really, Usopp!" Chopper squealed in excitement.

"But of course! I myself went and fought the giant Ice Bears while adventuring…"

The Mediterranean climate was a reprieve from the sweltering, dry heat of northern Africa. Zoro inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh scent of the cool ocean mingling with the warm air. He remembered a training campaign that had taken place in the city several years ago. There had been rumors of a crime boss who was taking over the little country, but anyone who had gone to investigate had mysteriously disappeared. Eventually, he had been transferred, and he'd shrugged it off. He didn't want to get into any of that underground political business.

"The water's so blue and clear! Look!" Luffy cried, pointing into the water. "Usopp! Chopper! Let's catch some fish and put 'em in the aquarium!"

"There certainly is a diverse population of fish," Sanji mused quietly. He was gazing down into the water with an odd look on his face.

"Something the matter, cook?" Zoro asked gruffly, not wanting to look like he was too concerned about a suddenly pensive Sanji. "It's an ocean. You know, like the ones we've been sailing on for the past few months?"

Sanji snorted, more to himself than at Zoro. "Hey Zoro, what are the wildest legends you've ever heard of?"

"Probably the Devil Fruit, but that's not exactly a legend, is it?"

"Well, duh. Look at our crew. I mean, you've heard of things like ancient deities that used to speak to humans, or long-gone civilizations like Atlantis, right?"

"I've heard people talking about them. Usually when they're in bars, with a lot of empty bottles. Why?"

"There are old folk legends in Japan that speak of many outlandish ideas. One of them is the idea of _All Blue, _a patch of the ocean where fish from all over the sea flourish."

"That sounds pretty far out there. There are things that make that unlikely—you know, climate differences and stuff."

Sanji shrugged. "I thought it was ridiculous, too. But you never know. I've been asking around in every city that we stop by, and there's always a mention of a mysterious ocean of this ilk." He looked down into the water. "I was just wondering what kind of an ocean it would have to be. Something that's not too warm, but not too cold, either. I was thinking that this sea might be it, but it's far too warm right now, even if it is summer. It should be located somewhere between the two oceans at the most odds. Do you know anything about that?"

Zoro smiled slightly. "Actually, I have. You know how even though there are 'seven seas,' there are two bodies of water that dominate the world?"

"Yeah. The Pacific and the Atlantic, right? Japan is in the Pacific, but we're near the Atlantic right now."

"That's right. Well, there's this continent between the Pacific and the Atlantic. It's relatively young compared to the civilizations we've been around—Japan, China, Egypt, and so on—but it is said to be one of the few places in the world where humans have not yet discovered everything. Even now, only the eastern half of the country has been heavily developed. That's your best bet."

Sanji's eyes widened in hope, but before they could say another word, Nami's voice interrupted them sharply.

"Storm to the west, approaching in approximately twenty minutes! Get in your positions!"

"Hai, Nami-san!" Sanji twirled to obey, but Zoro could have sworn that he saw something far happier dancing in his eye than the usual amorous delight.

The impending storm pulled them towards their destination far more quickly than they could have anticipated. Although it was hard to determine the passage of the time with the sky obscured by thick gray clouds, it had been about a week since Nami had called them to battle the weather. Luffy was standing in the rain and gazing at the horizon when the sun finally broke through the clouds, offering sanctuary.

"Land-ho!"

Nami checked their position, hands flying over the paper she was making calculations on. "Excellent! We're about a day from our destination. That's just the southern tip of Italy. We have enough supplies to last until Rome, and this area is mostly rural so I suggest that we just keep going."

Zoro climbed up to the crow's nest. He had some thinking to do.

It had been nearly a year since he had left France with his crew. He was surprised to find that besides a few fishing boats dotting the waters here and there that there were no military vessels. After listening to so many prominent figures foreshadowing change, he had expected something to pop up.

Things were just way too quiet.

---

"We're here!"

Luffy peered at the map that Nami was perusing with a quizzical look on his face. "Kit…cit…cita…wha?"

"Civitavecchia, Luffy," Nami corrected him. "The port for the province of Rome." When Luffy tried to pronounce it again, unwittingly stuttering a few Italian swearwords, Nami sighed. "Just call it Rome, then."

As they sailed in, they found that the streets were full of people—both locals and tourists alike. The air was filled with the scent of spices and the salty ocean, and the atmosphere was lively as can be. Zoro stayed on board—"I've been here already, you guys go and have fun"—to keep watch as everyone went off to get supplies or just have fun. Robin vanished immediately, walking swiftly after the enormous white bones of some ancient building that had stood proudly centuries ago. Nami went off to shop while Sanji went in pursuit of food supplies. The men all dashed off, following trivial pursuits of their own.

Zoro leaned back against the mast, enjoying the warm sun on his skin. As he began to doze off, he heard a splash near the side of the ship. Although he didn't move, his senses were heightened as he heard something plop into the ship and begin scuffling around, skirting around where he was sitting furtively.

"Where do you think you're going, eh?" Sandai Kitetsu tickled the throat of the _thing_ that was on the ship. Both of them stared at each other in shock. "Actually, what the hell are you?"

Bulbous eyes blinked at him in terror under a tattooed forehead. The individual in question wore an open shirt, with shorts—an outfit that failed to disguise his gills and fins.

Zoro blinked rapidly, wondering if he was getting sunstroke. He had heard sailors speak of mermaids before—and being this close to Greece, he wouldn't have been surprised if he'd seen a topless woman-fish hanging around, singing in the water—but this guy was just grotesque.

"M-m-me? I'm just a shipwright and appraiser, ehe," the thing gurgled. "My name is Kaneshiro. Nice to meet you." His throat bobbed uncertainly as he swallowed. "Um, could you pull the sword away? Please?" When Zoro saw how little power the thing had compared to his own, he pulled his sword back slightly. In a flash, the thing jumped over the side and disappeared under the water. "Fool!" he cried from under the water.

Zoro shrugged. If he came back, he could take care of him easily.

"Hey, marimo! Help me bring the groceries up!"

"Coming, crap-cook."

"Do you want food poisoning?"

"Isn't that what we've been getting? On, by the way…"

"What?"

"You know how we were talking about legends? Well, have you ever seen a kappa or anything like that while you were in Japan?"

"Well, there was this old hag who really should have been one. Kokoro-san looked so weird. Why?"

"Well, there was this guy who jumped on our ship. He looked like some water sprite or something. I've never seen anything like it."

"You sure you weren't dreaming? I better not find any of the grog missing, cabbage-head."

---

"He threatened you with a sword, did he?"

"One of three at his waist, yes."

"And you didn't provoke him?"

"Not at all."

"This is unacceptable. I will not allow my brethren to be treated like this. Do you remember where this man's ship was?"

"Yes. I'll take the others there right away, Arlong-san."


	32. Arlong

A/N: Fixed the Hatchan/Arlong type. Thanks, xShurikenx!

---

The night sky sparkled with the light of thousands of stars spread across the heavens. The city also glowed with the light of candles and lamps as city dwellers returned to their homes. Due to a city-wide curfew, the streets were empty and the pirates were gathered again on the Thousand Sunny. Usopp sat cross-legged on the floor, telling a harrowing tale to his (mostly) captive audience. Zoro sat napping behind Usopp as everyone else listened.

"So I was speaking to this merchant, and he was telling me the legend of the mysterious beasts that inhabit the city," Usopp said in a low voice, holding a candle under his face and throwing strange shadows over the walls. "These creatures crawl from the seas, running through the streets and killing anyone they find! They're said to be the reincarnations of the sea gods, come to swoop down upon mere humans! They're said to have the intelligence of humans and the brute strength of monsters!" Usopp's voice rose to a fever pitch, sending chills throughout the room in the inherent creepiness of his tone. "They say that when these beasts come upon you, you have no warning save for the fearsome growls of their mighty roars!"

"Zzzzz…." Zoro's snore cut into the story as he snorted and rolled over.

"Eeek!" Luffy, Chopper, and Brooke squealed. "That's so scary, Usopp!"

Usopp poked Zoro with Kabuto in annoyance. "Hrmph. Well, uh, yeah, that's the gist of it."

"That was quite an entertaining story," Robin laughed.

"But it's not really real, right?" Franky asked.

Usopp stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, at first I thought the guy was kidding with me. But he said that he's seen some of his neighbors disappear. Weird, huh?"

Sanji chuckled. "Sounds like what the marimo was telling me about today. He was telling me about some weird creature that came onto the ship while he was on watch that reminded him of a kappa. It's probably just his imagination. Maybe there's something in the air that addles the brain."

"Shut up, dartboard. I know what I saw. That guy had gills," Zoro snapped as he stood from his slumber. "If you don't want to believe me, then that's fine. But I stand by what I saw. If there are things like Devil Fruits and curly eyebrows in the world, then who's to say that those monsters aren't real?"

"Oi! Say that again, asshole!"

As they began fighting, Chopper sat up suddenly, his ears twitching.

"Is there anything the matter?" Brooke asked, leaning down and rubbing Chopper's head.

Chopper bit his lower lip nervously. "Guys…" His fearful voice brought them all to attention. "I just heard something outside."

"Is it a monster?" Luffy asked with a laugh. Usopp jumped.

"Luffy! What if it IS?" the sniper cried. "Well, there's only one way to find out. I'll wait for you guys in here. Ow!" They all went outside, with Nami holding Usopp by the nose.

"Who's there?" Zoro shouted, holding up a lamp. The dim light cast a ghostly pallor over the ship as Franky moved to light the rest of the deck. "Show yourselves!"

Four shapes appeared from the darkness. Three were tall, hulking and proud, while the last cowered slightly in the background. The one in the middle was the largest, with a thick neck and well-built body that included large fins that jutted from each elbow. One of them had strange, spiky hair and a long mouth with a sun tattoo on his forehead. He had six arms that swayed as he moved with small suckers on them. The third one had a long mouth as well, although it was less pronounced than the one with the six arms, and round blush spots on his cheeks. He had the most humanoid appearance, although gills could be seen on his neck. The one in the back was the shipwright who had had an unfortunate experience with Zoro. He grinned nastily as he looked up at the pirates.

"Monsters?" Nami said incredulously. "Are you the ones that we've heard stories about?"

They ignored her as they talked amongst themselves.

"Kaneshiro, you said that the one with the swords was tough. He doesn't look so strong, nyuu!" the octopus man said.

"But Hatchan, he was up against my neck in a split second!"

"To have summoned Arlong-san's best men for the likes of these _humans."_ The last word was spat out like an obscenity from the middle. "You bring shame to us."

"But Kuroobi, then it should be easy, eh-chu?" the one with the blush spots.

"That's true, Choo. Let's get this over with quickly."

(A/N: Is the fishman who fought Usopp in Cocoyashi Village Chew, Chuu, or Choo?)

"Waitwaitwait_wait_," Usopp protested. He stuck a finger out boldly while standing behind Zoro and Sanji. "What are you 'getting over with' and why? Who sent you?"

Kuroobi looked up at him disdainfully. "Watch your tongue, human. My fishman karate is nothing to be taken light of. I swam halfway across the world to learn this."

Sanji snorted. "What a waste. You're going to be beaten up here, regardless of whether you went to another country or another planet to get stronger. Answer the question, fishman, if that's what you are."

They twitched at the way Sanji called them fishmen.

"Pirate ships are not allowed in these waters without Arlong-san's approval, nyuu," Hatchan said. "If you had not threatened our shipwright, then you could have settled this peacefully."

"Zoro…" Nami growled. "What on earth did you do?"

Zoro shrugged. "He snuck onto our ship, so I acted accordingly. It's not my fault that he ran away before I could get any answers out of him. What would have happened if we had settled things 'peacefully?'"

"Chu…you would have had to pay a fee, depending on the quality and size of your ship and the value of your cargo," Choo said. "You can either pay a fee with a fine added now, or die as we commandeer this ship."

Both Nami and Franky jumped forward angrily.

"I'm not giving you a single beri!"

"Take the Sunny? Not if I can help it!"

Kuroobi shook his head. "Then you will have to die. Kaneshiro, go report back to Arlong-san."

"Right away." He slipped away into the water.

"You damned fishmen," Sanji snarled. "Get out of here before slice you into sashimi. The octopus looks like he could make enough takoyaki to feed Luffy for a year."

"Let me at 'em, Sanji," Franky said. "I won't let them touch Sunny at all."

"Take that Choo guy, then. The karate fish is mine."

"Nyuu! You, swordsman!" Hatchan pointed at Zoro with three hands. "I see that you have three swords. Care to face them with six?" He drew six swords, wielding them with impressive dexterity.

Zoro grinned. "Bring it on. Franky. Sanji. Let's see who can take his quarry down the fastest."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Always got to make things into a contest, don't you? Alright, marimo, you're on."

"Don't think I'll pass on a bet like that. I've been feeling super this week!"

The three of them leapt forward, bristling with energy for the battle. Zoro grinned. Now, those unanswered questions he'd had all those years ago might be answered. He didn't know who this Arlong was—probably another fishman—but how could anything so grotesque escape the eyes of the public? He grinned as he fended off one of Hatchan's attacks, teeth bared in a feral smile as he saw Hatchan falter when all six swords were stopped.

"What's the matter, octopus? Your words were so big for someone with such small skill," Zoro taunted, goading Hatchan into attacking irrationally. He succeeded, although he was in for a nasty shock.

"Takohachi Black!" A jet of black ink squirted out at him, and Zoro just barely managed to dodge it. As he rolled to the side, a wave of blades came out from under the ink, ripping his shirt open and grazing hairline cuts into his chest. Zoro looked down at the trickle of blood that oozed down and felt a thrill of excitement.

"You're not so bad after all," Zoro said. "But my swords…carry far more weight than yours!" Three sweeping motions disabled three waving arms. Hatchan faltered as his injured arms fell, and Zoro chuckled menacingly. "It looks like we'll both be using Santoryuu now, though."

Hatchan howled in anger as he gripped his swords with renewed energy. "Don't think it's over with just yet! Takotsubo no Kamae!" The six swords moved to form a six-bladed lance aimed directly at Zoro's heart.

"Tatsu maki!" Wado Ichimonji gouged a deep crescent into Hatchan's stomach. As he fell to the ground, Zoro saw Sanji pulling himself over the edge of the water, gasping harshly. Kuroobi was also panting in exertion and clutching his gills in pain.

"You damned human…"

"Shitty stingray…" Sanji pulled his tie off. "Now that we're on land again, I can kick your ass."

He did.

"Coup de vent!" Franky watched Choo fly off the Thousand Sunny, his eyes rolling to show the whites as he was defeated. "So, who won?"

Zoro grinned as he wiped the blood from his wounds. They were so shallow that the cuts had already stemmed themselves, clotting to stop the blood flow. "Looks like I did, guys. Too bad we didn't set any penalties, eh?"

"What should we do with this one?" Nami asked, pointing to Hatchan. While Kuroobi and Choo had been sent flying, the octopus-man had fallen to the ground after Zoro's last attack. He was swiftly tied up and secured to the mast to keep him from escaping.

"I say we interrogate him for more information." A bloodcurdling smile passed across Robin's face. "We have candles and needles, don't we?"

Hatchan jerked awake and stared at them all.

"Nyu! Don't kill me!"

Luffy took a close look at him, his face moving up and down to examine his face. "Hey, this guy looks kinda cool! Let's make him our nakama—"

"NO!" everyone shouted.

"Naa, you guys are boring," he pouted.

"Yeah, we have enough weirdoes on our ship," Franky said, putting one hand on his Speedo-covered hip.

Sanji cricked his neck. "This guy doesn't look too bad, once he's tied up like this. I'll bring some snacks out for you guys."

Robin looked down at Hatchan with a slight smile on her eyes. "So, shall we begin or should we wait for cook-san?" Her words were like a magic spell that drew Sanji out from the kitchen carrying a large tray.

"Robin-chan! Nami-san! I made ravioli stuffed with herb chicken!" Sanji cried, setting down the plates with a graceful motion. Small forks were placed beside the plate of steaming food. "Please, begin."

"Right…" Nami said. "Your name was Hatchan?"

"Yes."

"Who is this Arlong?"

Hatchan shifted uncomfortably. "Our captain."

"You'll have to be more specific than that."

"He's a fishman. Shark fishman, very strong, nyu!"

"What is his goal?"

Hatchan hummed pensively. "Arlong-san…he…" He looked around furtively. "Nyu, we shouldn't talk about this out here…" he whispered, jerking his head towards the water. "They can hear us."

Robin waved her arms, and an army of limbs sprouted to remove Hatchan from the post and carry him into the galley. He looked around in shock as everyone else followed save Brooke and Franky who waved as they went up to the crow's nest to keep watch. There was a Den Den Mushi that was connected to the kitchen, so they would be able to communicate.

Hatchan looked around in surprise as the ropes fell away from his limbs. "You're letting me go?"

Sanji snorted. "You're not going anywhere. There's no point in tying you up like that except for pretense, and we all know that we could subdue you if we needed to. If the marimo could beat you…"

"What's that, cook?"

Nami coughed, shutting them both up. "So, what is Arlong's goal?"

Hatchan sighed. "Money. He wants money."

"That's pretty simple," Zoro muttered. "Sounds like a certain she-witch."

"You better not be talking about Nami-san."

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't."

"Er-HEM," Nami coughed pointedly. "Money sounds simple enough, but is there any other reason?"

Hatchan's arms waved gracefully as he racked his brain. "Well, he doesn't talk much about a goal. Usually it's just 'stupid humans this!' and 'they're so weak!' But I think he's doing it because of what happened to him when he was a little fishman."

"What happened?"

"Nyu…" Hatchan's eyes drooped sadly. "He didn't used to be so bad, for a shark fishman. They're very temperamental, not like us octopus, nyu! But a long time ago when he was very little, some fishermen tried to catch him and sell him to a circus. He was strong enough to escape, but ever since then he's been very angry. He says that if you can buy a fishman with money, then it must be worth more than anything in the world."

"What about the disappearing humans? We heard rumors about that too," Usopp asked.

Hatchan sighed. "We only used to scare them—when we caught them, we would take their money and let them go. That's the only reason the humans know about us. But then, Arlong-san met _that man_." He scowled. "Captain Nezumi. The Marine human, nyu. He was the one who brought the kidnapping into it."

"So you don't kill them, then?" Nami asked suspiciously.

Hatchan shook his head. "Nezumi gives us a list of names, and we track down the people at night. We give the humans to Nezumi, and he sells them into slavery. Arlong-san likes making the humans feel his pain."

"I can kind of see where this guy's coming from," Zoro admitted.

"Zoro! How could you?" Nami cried. "This is wrong! Enslaving humans—"

"I didn't say I agreed with the man, woman!" Zoro growled harshly. "Don't jump to conclusions. I'm just saying that I could see why he would want revenge. Don't you remember how it felt, Nami? Didn't you want revenge on Donquixote?"

She faltered. "Well…yes…but…"

"It doesn't matter whether he's a human, fishman, or anything in between! Empathy is empathy." Zoro leaned back wearily. "Still, he should just be targeting the ones that did this to him rather than any humans. The choice is yours, Luffy."

"Do we let this guy go as justified revenge, or help the Italians?" Sanji reiterated.

Luffy looked down at Hatchan's unhappy face and shook his head. "Sorry, Hatchan, I'll have to stop your leader from doing this. Where is he?"

To their surprise, Hatchan's face broke out into a wide smile. "You'll stop him, then? We can go back to our old lives? I used to sell takoyaki, you know. It was pretty famous among the other fishmen. Technically I'm an octopus _fishman,_ not _octopus_, so it's not really cannibalism, right? Nyu, this is wonderful! He's been so unhappy, I'm sure, nyu. He has that weird look in his eyes sometimes, and I don't even know if he's entirely there…Nezumi's been a bad influence."

They all stared at this energized fishman, who was moving around like a hula dancer. Luffy's face cracked into a wide grin.

"We live in a cave on the seaside. It's only accessible by an underwater tunnel, so humans can't get there," Hatchan explained. "I doubt you'll have to go looking for him, though."

"Why's that?" Usopp asked. "Does he ever go out?"

A large thump shook the Thousand Sunny, making everyone fall to the side as the ship rocked back and forth. Hatchan winced as he felt it, bracing himself by sucking onto the floor with his arms.

"Nyu…you won't have to look for him, because he's here."


	33. Luffy vs Arlong

A/N: I had to reread the whole Arlong arc just to get a feel of what Arlong was like. But his character wasn't as easy for me to portray as some of the others, because he doesn't talk weird or anything...sigh.

A bit delayed because of a drug called Ragnarok Online.

---

Franky's arm shot out to grab Hatchan by the neck. "Was this your plan all along, you?" he snarled, trying to steady his balance so he could run outside and assess any damage to the Sunny. "You distracted us so that Arlong could ambush us, didn't you!"

Hatchan choked, scrabbling to escape the iron grip of the cyborg. "Ack—no—didn't—" he choked out, his pink face growing blue from the lack of oxygen.

"Let him go, Franky," Sanji said quietly. "We have bigger fish to fry tonight. If they were going to ambush us, then they wouldn't have made that big entrance with plenty of warning, either."

Franky sighed. "Alright. Let's go out there and see what's up."

They found the fishmen who had been there just minutes prior, with a new addition. The stranger was a tall and muscular specimen with long, lean muscled limbs and a saw nose that poked out from under the brim of a hat. Zoro couldn't help but admire his physique; it was the body of a being with natural strength far greater than a normal human's, and sculpted to perfection with ease.

"Are you Arlong?" Luffy's question was posed with the hint of a challenge behind it.

A pair of bright, livid eyes turned in their direction. "Are you the ones causing all that trouble around here?" His voice was gravelly and harsh to the ears, with a smooth undertone that could disarm the unwary listener. "I am Arlong."

"Your nakama were the ones who intruded on us first," Luffy replied. "We would not have touched them if they hadn't forced us to."

Arlong breathed in heavily, and let out an equally weighty sigh. "Oh, violence…I cannot stand violence. Would you release Hatchan? We wouldn't want anything to happen to him." He spread his arms wide. "After all, with a hostage in your possession, we are at your mercy."

Zoro snorted. "Yeah, like we're really going to—"

"Really? So it's just a misunderstanding?" Luffy gasped. He began to go back to the galley. "I'll go get him right now, then!"

Zoro slapped his forehead in frustration. As he grabbed Luffy's wrist, he saw Luffy's wide brown eyes looking at him innocently, eager to resolve the problem. Zoro couldn't help but smile as he saw the naïve faith that Luffy had placed in anyone who was strong enough to fight for their comrades.

"Captain…he's lying."

"WHAT!" Luffy's eyes boggled as he turned around abruptly. "You lied to me!"

Arlong laughed, long and hard, as he pointed at Luffy. "You fool! I knew that you humans were stupid, but I didn't think it would go that far. You had best watch yourself, cabin boy."

"I'm not the cabin boy. I'm the captain," Luffy replied calmly, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "I hear that you've been terrorizing the citizens, Arlong. Why would you do that?"

"They make money for me," Arlong sneered. "It takes about thirty minutes to find someone who's out after curfew and pack them up for shipping. It's quite efficient, don't you think?"

"There are more legitimate ways of making money, aren't there?" Zoro scowled, gripping his swords tightly.

"Ah, but those methods would require interaction with humans. We have stayed underwater quite peacefully for centuries, save for a few isolated incidents here or there. If you humans knew about us, you would try to exploit us to no end," Arlong explained gruffly. "With Nezumi, we only have to deal with one man who will keep his mouth shut because of the benefits of our deal. I've already promised our services to him for the next ten years. I will die before allowing a promise to be broken."

"You were a slave, huh?"

"Luffy! Don't be so blunt!"

Arlong drew in an abrupt breath, unconsciously rubbing scars that lined his wrists. "Don't speak so freely of that," he commanded sharply. "You know nothing of it!"

Luffy regarded Arlong with steady eyes. Zoro was amazed at the transition from goofy naiveté to sober earnestness. "I don't know what happened to you when you were a slave," Luffy said, his voice cutting through the air to pierce Arlong like a knife. "But I'm guessing that it was awful. Feeling the seastone cuffs on your wrists…for me, it was like ice in the desert, but for you it must have been torture to be bound by the stone that smells of the sea and not be able to swim freely. Seeing your family sold off one by one. Seeing them given a price when they are priceless."

"I don't need to justify or explain anything to you, you guppy. You and your crew will be decimated tonight." Arlong shook his head, as if he was trying to rid himself of horrid memories. A wild grin spread across his face as his muscles flexed in preparation for battle. "My strength alone will suffice for this task."

Luffy pulled his hat off, holding it out to Zoro. "Take care of my treasure for me, would you?" He jumped towards Arlong, sprinting with breakneck speed.

"Che, what do you think you're going to do?" Arlong scoffed. A rubbery fist collided with blinding speed to his face, throwing him to the side and into the wall.

"Watch the ship, Mugiwara!"

"Hai hai, Franky." Luffy grabbed the mast and the roof, stretching his body backwards to aim at Arlong and the shore. "Gomu gomu no rocket!" He shot out, catching the rising Arlong and carrying them both through the air and towards the mainland. "I'll be baaaack!" Luffy yelled, his voice fading rapidly with the distance.

"Idiot…" Zoro sighed. "What are you going to do if you need our help?"

"Have faith in him. He won't let some shark beat him up," Sanji rebuked him, lighting up as he looked down at the heavily injured fishmen glaring up at them from the deck. "Hm, shark fin soup might be tasty tonight. Do you need something, fishfaces?"

"He won't be able to defeat Arlong-san," Kuurobi stated adamantly. "It's physically impossible."

"Luffy's stronger than he looks," Usopp shot back defensively. "Didn't you know that he was the one that Donquixote…well…Crocodile…actually…" He looked at Zoro with wide eyes. "…that was Zoro. But…"

"Eneru," Zoro supplied.

"Yeah! He was the one who beat Eneru in China!" Usopp said jubilantly. "Of course, no one knew about that because he didn't want to make a scene," he ended rather lamely.

"So basically, the only powerful man that he was able to beat was someone whose demise was unverifiable?" Kuurobi scoffed.

Zoro walked slowly towards Kuurobi, twirling Luffy's straw hat in his hands with the ease of confidence. "Eneru was the only man worth his time," he responded. "The others were beneath him." When Kuurobi only gave him a mocking glance, Zoro growled, "Are you picking a fight again already?"

"Nyu, don't fight," Hatchan moaned, walking out unsteadily from the galley. His wounds had been tended to by Chopper, although the fatigue was affecting him. "Kuurobi, they know his pain. They're trying to help us too, nyu."

"How can they possibly know his pain?" Kuurobi snapped, his composure beginning to crack. "If they did, then they wouldn't be here!"

"We've escaped slavery, too," Nami informed him glumly. "We were the lucky ones."

Kuurobi fell silent for a moment.

"…can you really help him?" His strong voice wavered slightly.

Sanji laughed. "If you call knocking him around 'helping' him, then of course we can. I'm sure that Luffy'll pull through—that guy always seems to be able to do the right thing when the time comes."

The fishmen fell into a brooding silence as they waited for the returns of the two leaders. They could hear wild roars and enormous crashes coming from the shore. A slight splash reached their ears.

"You don't think Luffy fell in, do you?" Chopper asked tremulously.

"As a hammer in the water, mixed with the fishman's natural habitat…how frightening," Brooke mused. "He would most likely die."

"Brooke!"

A screech of pain; the howling laughter of a madman.

Things definitely weren't sounding good at all.

Zoro placed Luffy's hat gently on his own head, feeling the smooth straw rubbing against his cropped hair. He kept a hand on the hat on his head, watching the shore. He couldn't see what was going on with the clouds of dust rising from the broken buildings and the distance. He wanted to _be there_, damnit, and see his captain kick some ass. What if that idiot needed backup? He didn't doubt Luffy's abilities, but you could never be too careful with a species you've met for the first time.

"So…anyone in the mood for tea?" Sanji suggested, waving vaguely towards the galley. "Takoyaki, you can bring your friends if they promise not to break anything. Or anyone."

"Nyu, really? Let's go with them, you guys!" Hatchan exclaimed happily. "He makes the best food ever. I didn't actually get to taste it, but it smelled and looked really good."

"He's a superb chef, yohoho!" Brooke chortled in confirmation. "Perhaps you should make some snacks!"

"It's late, you shitty skeleton. Who do you think you are—Luffy?"

"It might help us unwind, Sanji-kun."

"Hai, Nami-san!"

As everyone obediently filed into the kitchen, Sanji waved them all in courteously. The chef looked around to make sure that everyone was inside and spied Zoro leaning against the rail, rubbing the worn fibers of the straw hat between his fingers.

"Luffy's not going to like it if you put a hole in his hat, marimo."

"What was it like?"

"…?" Sanji gazed at him quizzically.

"The cages. The seastone. Those impenetrable bars, and that hopeless feeling of loss…"

Sanji looked towards the floor, his hands fumbling for a match and tobacco. "You should know the feeling more than any of us."

"I'm just wondering if even Luffy could override something like that. You know, with Arlong. I think that I wouldn't stop for revenge, no matter who was stopping me."

"Luffy's irresistible, though."

"Wow, cook, I didn't know you swung that way—"

"NOT LIKE THAT." A match snapped between his fingers, and he cursed as he dropped the wooden splinters into the water. "He's like a whirlpool. He just pulls you in until you can't help but go with the flow." Sanji fished out of one the rolled cigarettes—he'd been intrigued by the sticks that he'd seen men smoking, for he had only ever used pipes before—that he had bought that day and lit it, watching the end flare with light in fascination.

Zoro looked back at the shore moodily.

"The way you look at the shore is like the way a woman awaits her lover," Sanji mused calmly, avoiding the swipe of a katana. "Seriously, you poor bastard, just relax already." A scream of agony cut through his argument from the shore, making him tremble slightly. "Luffy wouldn't want you to worry, either." When Zoro didn't respond, Sanji grumbled and swept into the galley to find everyone chatting in subdued tones. They looked up when they saw him, and he shook his head as he went to the pantries and pulled out an armful of bottles.

"Back again, cook? I was hoping you'd stay off my tail for a bit tonight."

"Shut up and drink." A cork was popped out of the thin neck of a glass bottle, smacking Zoro square in the forehead. "Imported whiskey. Don't get used to it." As Zoro turned back to the shore, Sanji swiped his hand over the open bottle and sprinkled something inside before opening his own.

They drank in silence.

---

Someone was poking him in the ribs. Who the hell had the balls to do that?

Zoro swiped out, hearing someone yelp and feeling very satisfied with the result.

"Zoro! You're going to tear his stitches, you idiot!" Chopper's shrill voice cut through his drowsiness, and he opened his eyes.

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy chirruped cheerfully, waving at him from a few feet away sporting several stitched-up and bandaged wounds all over his body, as well as bruises and smaller cuts.

"Hey, captain." A rush of memories flooded into his brain. "Oh, shit, where's Arlong?" He looked around and saw that the night was beginning to give way to the gray dawn.

"He left. Hatchan and the others helped him," Nami explained.

"How did I fall asleep?"

Sanji grinned as he leaned back. "That was me. I didn't think it would be so easy to slip you sleeping herbs in your drink, but you must have been craving the alcohol really badly. If I hadn't, then that straw hat would have been worried to threads by your hands, and your mental health would have been in more danger than usual."

"Shut up and tell me what happened."

_They heard a last resounding crash from the shore and waited silently for the outcome._

"_Look!" Usopp shouted. "He's coming back!" He pointed, and they saw a large shape hurtling through the air towards them. It took the combined efforts of Franky and Sanji, with help from Robin, to stop the human bullet. Luffy collapsed wearily as he laid Arlong on the ground beside him. The fishman was unconscious and heavily wounded, although they could see that the deep lines that had defined his face were eased slightly, though his brow was furrowed in physical pain._

"_Chopper, take care of him first," Luffy insisted, pulling himself up. "So he can go back home."_

"_Nyu, Mugiwara!" Hatchan nearly shrieked in alarm as the other fishmen stood stricken. "What did you do to him?"_

_Luffy merely grinned. "He's fixed."_

_Luffy refused to give the details of the battle, save for the victory grin he wore proudly._

"_Take him home," he told the other fishmen once Chopper had tended to Arlong's wounds. "I'm sure you'll hear the details you need in the morning."_

_Then, he collapsed again from exhaustion, and Chopper stepped in to patch him up._


	34. Nezumi

A/N: Looks like fanfiction has been down because of a tech glitch or something for the past few days. Here's chapter 34!

I sooo want to start another long fic.

---

"Yeah! So I punched him with a Gomu Gomu no Piston and he caught it in his mouth! That guy was sooo fast, and his teeth were sooo sharp. But while he was busy with my fist, he didn't see me whip out with a Gomu Gomu no Muchi!" Luffy chattered excitedly, describing the battle in great detail to Usopp and Chopper. "He even pulled his teeth out and used them like bear traps in his hands. But they _grew back!"_

"Waaah! Sugee!" Chopper cried. He clapped his hands gleefully. "What kind of powers do fishmen have?"

Luffy scratched his ear thoughtfully. "Naa….well, this guy could pull his teeth out and regrow them. He had this weird attack where he shot out of the water like a dart, too. I've never seen anyone swim that fast!"

Robin was reading on the deck, listening to them as she enjoyed the warm air and the cool breeze. She looked over to where the three boys were talking and chuckled as she saw Usopp gesticulating wildly. Her gaze slid from them to the snoring swordsman tucked into a corner of the deck.

She smiled mischievously and raised an eyebrow in a silent command. Two arms popped out from beside the swordsman's ribs, and she saw him twitch slightly as he felt something enter his field of awareness. However, he snuffled softly and continued to snore. She tickled him gently with her hands, enjoying the sudden convulsion that swept through his body. He tried to ignore the prodding but eventually pulled himself up as his eyes shot open with a scowl. She let go of the control of her arms with a wave of flower petals.

"Luffy!" he growled reflexively, blinking as he realized that he was alone. "Hm?" Scratching his head in irritation as he realized that he couldn't get back to sleep, he groaned and stood, ambling to the kitchen for a bottle of beer. He came back out with a bottle and the imprint of a foot on his face; he took a seat beside her, just as she knew he would.

"Having a good day, swordsman-san?"

"Not bad. I actually managed to get a bottle from the cook this time."

"I see." They sat in silence.

"Robin."

"Yes?"

"Do you think this whole thing with Arlong will just blow over?"

"I do believe that Luffy may have helped him overcome his reason for engaging in the activities that he did. However, there is still one thing left accounted for."

"Nezumi, right? The guy that made the deal with Arlong."

"Correct. I believe Arlong's conviction was that he would die before breaking a promise."

"So the root of the problem is that guy."

"Ultimately, yes. Arlong was just a means to meet his ends."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, then?"

Robin nodded. "Should we summon the rest of the crew?"

Zoro grinned. "Well, Luffy's pretty much beat up from his fight. How about the two of us just go and scout out the situation?"

She smiled and closed her book, placing it on the table as he chugged the last of his drink.

---

Captain Nezumi of the Italian Carabinieri. He led an unusually opulent lifestyle for the captain of the country's policing force, although no one had ever been able to link him to anything that might suggest that he was receiving funds from less-than-legal venues. Many have tried. Few ever reappeared; those who did were found as bloated carcasses washed up on the shores or lodged in sewer ducts. People stopped asking about his activities behind closed doors, because he was unusually efficient at catching criminals.

Zoro and Robin trailed him. They found that in the morning, he took coffee with toasted bread, butter, and jam; a simple meal, but of the finest ingredients—and made his way directly to the Carabinieri headquarters. He spent most of the day filling out reports. Lunch was linguine with clams in a thick red sauce. After filling out more reports, he left headquarters and made his way to the docks, where he spoke with several men concerning their fishing permits. After that, he made his way home, where his servants had prepared supper and he relaxed in his sitting room with a book.

"If this guy does one more boring thing, then I'm so going to beat him up just for pissing me off," Zoro hissed under his breath as they saw watching from under the cover of a tree. Robin smiled as she had her arms crossed, eyes closed in concentration as she kept an eye and an ear on Nezumi. "Did they really say that he was the one they were dealing with?"

"Nezumi is not a common name, especially in this area."

"True. He looks like a rat."

"…?"

"Just saying."

---

"Where did that shitty bastard go…first the alcohol, and then Robin-chan? Unacceptable!"

"I'm sure they're just out for a friendly stroll. With a happy ending."

"I'll kill you, longnose."

---

"A-ha. Here we go." Robin smiled as they kept watch. She was glad that she had chosen Zoro to take along. The others would have been too fidgety to sit and watch someone for more than twelve hours straight. "He appears to be going down to the seashore. Shall we?"

They followed him.

Nezumi made his way to the sandy beach far from the walls of the city, walking alone and looking around furtively for anyone who might be following him. Unfortunately, he was not keen enough to sense the two pirates tailing him. He stopped just short of the surf and drew a silver whistle from deep inside his coat pocket.

_Pweeee!_

The sound was high-pitched and pierced the air shrilly. Zoro could tell, though, that from this distance the sound would not be able to reach the houses on the outskirts of town, and that it was meant to pierce a substance thicker than air. The answer came when three hulking shapes emerged silently from the water, materializing quickly from the ocean's depths and making their way towards the Italian captain.

"Are you listening?"

"Yes. I have an ear under his hat."

Hatchan looked at Nezumi stonily as he stood with the water lapping gently at his feet. Kuurobi and Choo were also standing on the shoreline, gazing at Nezumi coldly. Zoro frowned. There was something off here.

Nezumi pulled a sheet of paper from his coat and handed it to the fishmen. "Three targets tonight, gentlemen. Two men and a child."

Kuurobi frowned. "Children were not part of our agreement, Captain. It was to be limited to male adults only."

Nezumi shrugged. "It may have been mentioned in passing, but there was nothing on paper. It's only one child. She was found visiting a prisoner and passing food through the bars of the prison."

"Chu, you're pushing your luck, human."

"Gentlemen, this is business. Surely you're leader won't argue with my, ah…requests? You are getting a premium price for the child..."

The fishmen sighed and nodded before taking the list and memorizing the names. Nezumi took the list back and flicked a match expertly against the heel of his shoe, setting the paper ablaze and letting the ashes fall into the sand.

"I'll be expecting the goods at the dock. Duval and his men will be waiting at Dock 3. Payments will be made in cash, as always."

The fishmen nodded and left without another word. Nezumi watched them leave and turned on his heel, mumbling so that only an ear under his hat could hear his words.

"Horrendous monsters…"

---

Back on the Thousand Sunny, Zoro and Robin summoned the rest of the crew with a bellow and a nudge of several startling limb manifestations. They explained their findings to the rest of the crew and waited for a verdict.

Luffy scratched absently at his bandages, much to Chopper's chagrin. "So…we just gotta beat this guy up, yeah?"

"Captain-san, I believe we should find some way of wresting the contract from him and destroying it."

"…so…" Luffy's forehead crinkled in confusion. "Do we go after him or not?"

Nami stepped in. "Yes, Luffy, we have to beat him up. All you need to do is create a diversion while I sneak into his house and steal the documents."

"Okay! Let's go!"

"Idiot! We can't just burst in. We need a plan. Franky, I need you to fiddle around with the house and give me a few escape routes—open windows, busted locks, the works. Usopp, you'll be covering the house from a long range and pick off anyone trying to go for a sneak attack. If there are too many people, you're responsible for giving the alarm with a shout and a Firebird Star. Robin will come with me to help me search—dozens of arms and eyes are better than just two. Chopper, stick with Usopp in case anyone tries to sneak up on him while his eyes are on the battle. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brooke…" She smiled. "Choose whichever side of the house you want and storm it from all four sides. Give 'em hell, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"If worst comes to worst, then we can meet back here and sail off. You restocked, Sanji-kun?"

"Hai, Nami-san!"

"Excellent. We had best move tonight, before those people that Nezumi wants to ship off can come to any great harm."

Everyone marched outside and made their way to dry land. As they walked, Franky gave a shout.

"The Sunny!"

Their ship had been untied and was moving swiftly out to sea. No one was manning the steering wheel.

"What is this…?" Brooke gasped. "Some sort of ghost?"

"It was us, chu."

Choo climbed out of the water, brushing his wet hair back with a fluid motion. "Hatchan and Kuurobi are moving your ship, chu."

"What the hell are you doing that for?" Franky roared. "How dare you touch the Sunny!"

Choo held his hands out, palms open. "Don't get us wrong. We were going to talk to you tonight anyways, but we heard your plan when we were right outside the door and decided to help. We're moving your ship to where our cave is located. It's in a sheltered cove, and far from the eyes of any humans. We will keep it there for safekeeping. When you give your Firebird Star signal, then we will bring it back and be waiting for your return."

"Why are you still working for Nezumi?" Zoro asked. "We can't really trust you if you're still kidnapping humans."

Choo sighed. "Our contract is renewed every five years. Arlong-san refuses to break the contract and wants to just refuse to renew it. He said that he still has his honor. That's why we want to help tonight—so we don't have to wait until the five year period is over."

Luffy nodded. "Fair enough. Watch the skies, then." He turned and marched off, cutting off any further conversation.

---

"Ready, men?"

"Aye-aye, Captain!"

"Let's do this shit."

"Where the hell did you learn to use language like that?"

"From Sanji!"

"Should have known."

"Shut up, marimo, and let's do this…thing."

"Yohohoho, were you about to say shi—"

The first wall was brought down with a crash as Sanji kicked it viciously.

"Did you say something, shitty skeleton?!"

"Er, no, carry on…"

Nezumi poked a head out of the window, his eyes wide in alarm. "What in the world do you people think you're doing? Who are you?" he shouted, buttoning up a shirt as he looked around wildly. "Help! Help!"

Luffy jumped up to the window and promptly punched Nezumi in the face before pulling him out and beating him to the ground. Alarms were going off as other men began to slowly stream towards the chaos that the pirates were wreaking. At this time, though, little backup was on the way for the captain.

"Draw them away from the house!" Sanji howled over the din as he saw several men fall to the ground, clutching their Tabasco-stricken eyes.

Nami stealthily slipped through a window, holding out a hand to help Robin climb through.

"Robin, can you see anything?"

The older woman closed her eyes in concentration as eyes popped up around the house, freaking out the already-startled maid. "I don't see anything out in the open, Nami-chan. Perhaps we should check his office?"

Outside, Nezumi was barely conscious as Luffy shook him roughly in front of his men gathered around the fighting force tearing the walls and grounds up. After Zoro had cut his way through the first wave with a single slash, they were extremely wary of the group. A few of the policemen fell sporadically, covered in rotten eggs, Tabasco sauce, and other unpleasant substances.

Robin leafed through papers quickly, her many arms and eyes working to search as thoroughly as possible. Nami was tapping the walls experimentally and grinned in delight when she found a safe disguised as a large decorative vase. She tapped the sides experimentally and found that it was made of metal, not ceramic; she would have to pick it open. She pushed it off the pedestal that it sat on and listened as it fell with a solid _thunk._

"Did you find it?"

"I think so. Keep looking just in case it's something else."

Nami pulled out her hairpins and twirled them expertly; they separated into a handful of oddly-shaped and stiff wires that would do the trick. She worked the tiny keyhole with delicacy until she heard a faint _click._

"Got it. Let's see…"

She gaped at the bundles of paper that spilled out.

"Robin! Tell Usopp to give the signal. We're done here."

Luffy looked up as he saw a flash of fire rise into the air, awing spectators as it formed a phoenix in the air.

"Everyone! Let's go!"

They ran back to the ocean and found the Thousand Sunny already waiting for them, with three dark shapes in the water keeping it steady.

---

The fishmen took the Thousand Sunny back to their cove and met the pirates back in the galley. Nami pulled out the papers she had found and spread them out on the table.

"Most of these papers seem to be documentation of humans sold through business with Arlong—brief profiles, criminal records or personal offenses, and the prices and locations they were sold to as well as purchasers. It's very thorough, but very succinct and to the point. These, however…" Nami held up a thick sheaf of papers. "These are names of fishmen clans and individuals, with descriptions, who are being watched. It turns out that the attack on Arlong's family…was staged by Nezumi's predecessors." The fishmen sputtered in outrage, banging their fists on the table.

"Oi, watch the furniture," Franky muttered.

"What about the contract?" Kuurobi demanded. "Where is it?"

Nami smiled and pulled a single sheet from under her coat. "Here it is." She handed it to Kuurobi, who clutched it to his chest protectively.

The three fishmen bowed. "Thank you. This is all we need." They turned and left abruptly.

"Hey, you're not going to stay for a bit? What are you guys going to do?" Sanji called, running out after them. "You have the contract, so don't wreak too much havoc on the city!"

Hatchan stuck his head out of the water; the other two had already left. "You guys are really nice people, especially for humans," he said forlornly. "But we just can't associate with your species anymore. Even fishmen don't turn in other fishmen, nyu. It was nice to have met you—maybe we'll meet again on the ocean!" He ducked under the water and swam away without a ripple.

The Mugiwaras stared at each other.

"Well, that was a quick goodbye," Zoro drawled.

"Anyone in the mood for a drink before we go to bed?" Sanji asked.

---

The next morning, there were posters with the faces of the entire Mugiwara crew spread all over town.

They were all wanted now.


	35. Legends

A/N: Baaah, I have been _neglecting_ this story because I got caught up in this new series I'm writing…augh!

---

"Finally! I got a bounty!" Luffy cried jubilantly as he jumped around the rest of the crew. They were all having mixed reactions. "Ooh, it's so much higher than your first one, Zoro!" Zoro merely smirked, glad that he was serving under a man as notorious as he was now.

_Monkey D. Luffy—'Mugiwara Luffy.' 100 million beri._ A sketch of his face as they had fled from Nezumi's house was drawn, complete with the rubble of the building and the enormous grin on his face.

"I'm…wanted," Nami muttered, wringing her hands. "What am I going to _do?"_

'_Mugiwara Nami.' 16 million beri._

"At least my picture is not too bad…" Nami conceded with a sigh. She was depicted while twisting her body in a turn, swinging her Perfect Clima Tact with deadly accuracy and a sly smile.

"_Why is my bounty so low?!"_ Chopper shrieked, crumpling up his bounty poster before smoothing it out again to look at it in excitement—only to crumple it up in frustration again. "I fought like a man, too!" He was shown running in his smallest form, presumably screeching at Usopp to run from the men that were chasing them. Not very frightening at all, really.

_Tony Tony Chopper—'Mugiwara Chopper.' 50 beri._

"It's probably because you fought behind the scenes to watch my back," Usopp explained. He chuckled as he looked at his own poster. He was shown pulling back Kabuto's strings as he took careful aim; the Firebird Star was also in the picture.

'_Mugiwara Usopp.' 30 million beri._

"That's quite an impressive price on your head, Usopp," Robin mused. "It's a shame that we didn't have time to properly explore the rest of Italy. Venice would have been lovely."

_Nico Robin—'Mugiwara Robin.' 80 million beri._

"Yours is really high too, Robin," Franky noted. "It's probably because of your Devil Fruit power."

'_Mugiwara Franky.' 44 million beri._

"I have a Devil Fruit power, too!" Chopper wailed, running over to latch onto Zoro's leg for some means of comfort. Zoro looked down at the distressed reindeer and rubbed his head gently, pulling him up and placing him on his shoulders.

"Poor Chopper," Brooke said with a chuckle. "My bounty is lower than hers as well. Is the fact that I_ rose from the dead_ irrelevant in calculating my bounty?"

'_Mugiwara Brooke.' 33 million beri._ His picture showed his face in poor lighting, giving it a ghastly appearance that scared Chopper into his Guard Point. Zoro swayed in alarm at the sudden puff of fur, trying to breathe.

"Shut up, Brooke. At least your picture looks intimidating," Sanji wailed. "I mean, mine is scary too, but for all the wrong reasons." Everyone stared at Sanji's bounty poster in amusement and sympathy. They had drawn him when he had first kicked the wall in, and he wore the expression of comical fury on his face that he had had when he was ticked off by Brooke.

It was not the most attractive moment in the life of Sanji.

"My eyebrow isn't even curling in the right way!"

'_Mugiwara Sanji.' 77 million beri._

"I'm surprised that your first bounty is so high, cook. But then again, you do have the strongest…expression," Zoro stated flatly. "You look constipated."

"Shut up! Let's see your bounty, then!" Sanji growled, but stopped dead when Zoro held his new poster up with that gorgeously deadly depiction of him.

_Roronoa Zoro—'Mugiwara Zoro.' 100 million beri._

"One hundred million? That's the same as Luffy!" Sanji sputtered. "Oh…and why are we all given the name Mugiwara? How do they even _know_ that we call each other family?"

"It's probably just a way for them to categorize us and lump us together," Franky said. "Looks like you're officially a Mugiwara, Zoro!"

"Oh, I'm thrilled."

"No need to be sarcastic, marimo. I was happy as hell when Luffy asked me to join the family."

"I can't believe I have to be in the same family as you, baka-cook."

"You guys, shut up for a minute. We're wanted. Internationally. That means…no matter where we go…" Usopp said, looking a little shocked.

"Did you just tell us to shut up?" Zoro and Sanji growled.

"What I mean," Usopp said, nursing a bloody nose, "is that we can't go anywhere without having people on our tails. These pictures are pretty good—even as good as mine. I wonder when they had time to watch us so closely? Where did they even get information about us?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Nami snapped. "We'll be on the run forever now."

"It doesn't seem like such a bad life," Zoro said. "The bounty hunters and Marines will keep us sharp."

"But it might be troublesome when we need to restock and such," Sanji retorted.

"Is there any place that we might be welcome?" Robin wondered out loud.

Luffy laughed. "This just makes it more exciting!"

Nami sighed. "Well, I suppose we should have been expecting this ever since day one. We couldn't have romped around without being hunted forever." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

She failed.

"Ack, Nami, why are you hitting me?"

"Ah, Nami-san's fist of love!"

"Woman, getting violent will only make your damned bounty go up!"

---

"Six hundred and seven…six hundred and eight…" Zoro panted, doing handstand pushups. He had escaped from Nami's senseless wrath by climbing up to the crow's nest, and was currently working out. When he was finished, he folded his legs and sat to begin meditating. He had a lot to think about, especially concerning their close proximity to a certain country. He heard the door being pushed open and smelled smoke, with a hint of spice.

"Don't mind me, marimo. We've got to talk, though."

"About what?"

"Our bounty posters."

"Are you still sore about it?"

"…no. But there's something weird about them."

"What?"

"We haven't been _that_ conspicuous. The crew, I mean. Not enough for our names to get out, at any rate, unless Garp tattled. Even in Shanghai, our names didn't get out when we beat up Eneru, and I don't think Vivi would have leaked information about our actions in Egypt, either. But they have full names down here when applicable, and really accurate depictions of us. It couldn't have all happened on one night. Nezumi can't have been the only one who wanted us to be dispatched." Sanji took a deep pull from his cigarette, looking worried.

"What are you getting at?"

"What I mean is that we've been watched. I don't know by who, or how, but something's up."

Zoro shrugged. "Don't think into it too much. Government policing agencies have information networks all over the world. Something as simple as a name and face are not that hard to obtain."

"I still have an odd feeling, though."

"It's probably just from lunch."

"Oi!"

---

"How long will our supplies last, Sanji-kun?"

"Oh, easily up to three or four months, Nami-san!"

"Great. We're heading to England."

"Nani?! When did you decide this?"

"When I took a look at our maps, Usopp."

"Why England, all of a sudden?" Usopp squinted at the maps she had laid out. "Why not France, or Spain? Those are on the way."

"I didn't want to go to France for reasons that should be obvious," Nami scowled while jerking a thumb at Zoro, who grunted as he rolled over in his sleep. "And Spain? Do you really want to go visit the homeland of a man that we killed? Like, uh, Donquixote?"

"Crocodile was from England," Usopp argued stubbornly. "Why don't we just sail forever and see how long we can last that way?"

"England's the furthest we could go in one trip, and I'd rather not make more stops than necessary in our current predicament."

"Having bounties isn't all that bad, Nami. We haven't even been attacked yet."

A deafening boom from a cannon and splash interrupted their conversation.

"Way to jinx it, Usopp."

The crew assembled outside, to find a familiar warship facing them. Zoro groaned.

"I knew it. We were sailing too damned close to France," Zoro cursed. "Oi! Smoker!"

"Don't call out with such disrespect, kid," Smoker growled, coming up to stand by the rail. "What did I tell you about us meeting?"

"It's not like I wanted to see your ugly mug again."

"Try saying that again. I dare you, Roronoa."

"Okay. It's not like I wanted—"

"Ah, Commodore!" Nami punched Zoro square in the jaw, sending him flying (much to Tashigi's amusement and horror). "We're just passing through. Peacefully."

"Not with a sixteen million beri bounty on your head, you're not, 'Mugiwara Nami,'" Smoker growled as Nami paled. His men were assembled in neat lines behind him and Tashigi. "I warned you already."

"What are you doing around here, anyway? Didn't you head to Edo?" Usopp asked suspiciously.

Smoker coughed. "Well, it turns out that my superiors learned of my connection to Roronoa, and felt that I would be the best person to track him down. So here I am. It's overkill though, to send someone like me after an idiot like him."

"I'm still here, you know. I can hear you."

"Does it look like I give a damn?"

"We're not even going to stop by France," Zoro growled in annoyance. "We're just passing on through, as the witch said."

Smoker looked at Zoro oddly. "Even if the circumstances were the same as when we last met, I still couldn't let you go. Roronoa…"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Your crew is not the first to have received such ridiculous bounties after your first official 'debut,'" Smoker said. "Eight other crews have members with similar circumstances, although—" Smoker paused, looking both proud and sarcastic, "—you should feel honored, Roronoa. There are only eleven of you overall who had bounties over one hundred million, and only one other man isn't the captain of his own crew. I doubt that you've met them yet, though."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro asked in bewilderment.

Smoker sighed impatiently. "They're calling you the Eleven Supernovas now, you know. Because you just appeared overnight and stunned the world. At least, that's how Hina worded it, but that just sounds like a lot of bull that basically means…they've identified the threat and want to kill the weeds before they grow too fast."

"What does that have to do with this situation?"

"Think about it, Roronoa. The World Government has risked its reputation at such an early stage in its conception to target you rookies. They're either looking to gain respect by your execution, or using preemptive measures to ensure that you don't go out of control. Why would they do that?"

"I don't know. Because they're scared?"

Smoker smacked his forehead. "That might be part of it. It looks like I'm going to have to spell it out for you. Don't you people read the newspapers?"

Nami and Robin raised their hands.

"...should've known. Have you ever heard of the New World?"

Most of the crew shook their heads, save for Zoro and Robin. Before Smoker could speak further, Robin spoke up.

"Perhaps for such weighty conversation, we should settle down?" she suggested with a demure smile. Smoker scowled.

"Do you expect me to parley with pirates and just converse casually?

"Yes. It seems as though that's what we were doing, so we might as well get comfortable," Robin said smoothly. "Cook-san has an especially delicious recipe for tea cakes, if I recall correctly."

Smoker rolled his eyes. "You're all idiots, you know that?"

He wrapped an arm around Tashigi's waist before jumping over the edge of his ship, his body billowing into smoke as he moved over the water. He landed lightly, putting a surprised Tashigi beside him. Smoker looked at Tashigi with a raised eyebrow and she sighed before turning around and snapping out orders.

"Men! I'll need you to keep watch on the ship and the waters if it turns out that trouble arises. We are not to be disturbed. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Excellent. Now," she said, "Where are those tea cakes you were talking about?"

---

The galley had never had such an odd atmosphere. There was amusement on Robin's part, excitement on Luffy's, boredom from Zoro, suspicion (and enamored calls of 'Mellorine!') from Sanji, and fear from just about everyone else. Smoker leaned back casually in his chair while Tashigi sat stiffly beside him, looking around at the cozy galley. When Sanji placed a cake in front of her with a wide smile, she bit into it and positively beamed.

"Smoker-san, it wouldn't be considered bribery to accept this hospitality and food, right? Because these are really good," she mumbled around a mouthful of cake. Smoker huffed in exasperation and shook his head. "Good!" She took another bite, humming in appreciation.

"Now, to get back to our original conversation…" Robin suggested.

Smoker grunted, drinking from the teacup that Sanji handed him. He didn't seem particularly pleased by the fact that it was pink with a floral pattern. "Right. The New World. It is one of the last wildernesses of the world. Legend has it that it is home to wonders like the Fountain of Youth, the golden city of El Dorado, and most importantly of all, the fabled One Piece." Nami's eyes gleamed as she heard the words 'golden city.'

At this, Luffy stiffened and shouted, "Old man! Stop!" When Smoker glared at him in irritation, he continued, "If this is some sort of clue to where the One Piece is, then don't—say—another—word."

Smoker chuckled humorlessly. "Boy, if it was known for sure that the One Piece was there, then it would not be so secret that you wouldn't have heard already. It's just a rumor. After all, Gold Roger's last trip was said to have been there. But this New World is not easy to reach. It seems as though it isn't connected to any land mass save for the icy regions of the northern poles, and going through the Atlantic Ocean is by no means an easy feat."

"So people know about this place, then?" Nami asked curiously.

Smoker nodded. "Knowing is one thing, but reaching it is quite another."

"People have said that it is a country protected by the gods," Tashigi murmured. "Surrounded on both sides by the two largest oceans, with savages in the hot south and ice in the frigid north. It is truly the kind of place where legends would come true."

As Sanji heard this, the hand that was pouring tea for the guests nearly slipped. _Was the shitty swordsman telling me the truth before? A tropical, warm ocean on one side and a colder, wilder one on the other…All Blue…_

"Furthermore, the ruins of ancient civilizations that have toppled mysteriously at the heights of their glory have been found, although few have ever been able to find it through the jungles that surround it," Tashigi continued, looking at Robin curiously as the older woman's hands shook.

"The lost civilizations," Robin whispered into her cup, not elaborating. "Whole empires that were built and crumpled, whose history has been lost…"

Smoker nodded. "It is the kind of place that adventurers yearn for, despite the dangers of traveling there."

"Why are you telling us all this?" Franky asked suddenly. "It sounds super, but just outside you were saying that you had to take us in."

Smoker blinked. "Oh, that. Since the World Government hasn't established a real presence in the New World, they don't want it to become a haven for pirates and outlaws. Anyone who's strong enough to potentially rule a new nation there is being targeted, although the ones that they fear the most are the Four Emperors. What the World Government fears most is that one of these four men will have a large enough presence to rule the seas from the New World as a Pirate King."

"The New World would be the crux of an empire like that," Tashigi explained. "If all the legends were proven to be true, then the Pirate King would have enough wealth to found a great nation from the One Piece or El Dorado, be protected by the vast oceans, and even potentially have eternal life from the Fountain of Youth."

"Who might these Four Emperors be?" Brooke asked.

"You may have heard of them. Red-haired Shanks, Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate—"

"No way! You mean, Shanks could be the Pirate King? I'm not going to let him!" Luffy said stubbornly. "I'm going to be the Pirate King!" His eyes shone with determination, and he cracked his knuckles as though in anticipation of a fight.

Smoker groaned. "You see…that sentiment is exactly why we must take men like you down _now."_

"What?!"

"_White Snake!"_ Clouds of smoke spewed from Smoker's body and the rest of the crew jumped up in alarm, trying to escape the Logia's reach.

"No!"

---

A/N: By the 1800s the Americas were not really as wild as I make them out to be—in fact, this was around when the Industrial Revolution was occurring. However, I am taking certain liberties with my timelines (actually, very big ones) and thus, North and South America are as they were when the Europeans first began to arrive in larger numbers several centuries earlier.

And yes, Luffy's bounty is equal to Zoro's because the circumstances in which he received it are different from the ones in the manga. Sigh. It's just so much cooler when he has a 300 million beri bounty...maybe I'll have him beat up some government official again just so I can give him a higher bounty.


	36. When there's smoke, there's

A/N: A fast(er) update than I've been doing lately, because I've been neglecting the lovely Santoryuu-Zoro.

---

Zoro jumped onto his chair and leapt back, his body corkscrewing in a back flip as he leapt out of Smoker's reach. He could see that roughly half of the crew was caught in the grips of Smoker's attack, and looked around frantically. The only hope they had was if he could try and draw Smoker out onto the deck and have him fly off the ship with a well-timed Coup de Burst. Chances were, though, that anyone in the crew who'd already been captured would fly off as well. Bad plan, especially considering that Chopper and Brooke were securely in Smoker's tendrils, and Luffy and Robin were only barely fending off Smoker's attack. All the Devil Fruit users would almost definitely perish in the water, since most of the normal humans were preoccupied.

Should he try to use Tashigi as a diversion?

The cold edge of a steel blade pressing lightly against his neck from behind in the chaos of smoke and running crew members pretty much made that plan null and void. Zoro looked around and groaned when he saw that it was indeed Tashigi who was threatening to behead him, and not the shitty cook in a moment of bad humor.

"Tashigi."

"Roronoa." He winced at the use of his surname. Definitely not a good sign.

"You would attack in the middle of a peaceful parley?"

"We have been given orders to detain you and your crew at all costs. Come along quietly." Her voice was hard and unyielding.

"Who would have ever thought that it would come to this?" Zoro said softly. "Ta-chan."

She stiffened. "Do not think that by using such familiarity that you can escape justice!" she nearly cried out. He saw her tough exterior waver.

"Ta-chan, do you remember the time that I could you mumbling in your sleep?"

_Zoro was used to French life—having lived with its people for many years by now—but was getting vaguely homesick. He missed the cool mountain ranges with the hidden Buddhist temples and sheltered Shinto shrines; seeing a priest walking slowly down the path, or hearing the sounds of disciplined children shouting "Hai, sensei!" from the dojo in unison. He missed the taste of white rice, and the burn of good sake—although vodka was becoming an acceptable substitute. He missed the smell of the Pacific, so different from the seas around here._

"_Crap, I'm late," Zoro grumbled. He was on his way to a new assignment, where he would meet his next training partner for the next few years. The captain who had put them together had hinted that she would surprise him in her fighting technique. Zoro had started when he heard that he would be training with a female, for this country seemed unfavorable towards women in the army._

"_Is this the place?" Zoro asked himself, looking down at the slip of paper in his hands. "Must be." He walked through the doors to where he was scheduled to have had a rendezvous with his partner an hour ago. Other teams were also supposed to meet here, but the room was empty. He sighed._

_The sound of a gentle, whistling snore brought his attention to a chair in the back of the room, behind the rows of desks. Zoro proceeded with caution until he saw a mop of short-cropped, silky black hair covering a face that was planted face-first into the desk. He chuckled when he saw a line of drool flowing from the corner of the person's mouth across the desk._

_The woman stirred slightly, muttering. He brought his ear closer and heard her speak._

"_Neh…Smoker-san…ojiisan…justice…zzzz…."_

_Should he wake her up? She sounded like another 'absolute justice' freak._

"_You're right, Smoker-san…let's just follow our own brand of justice…absolute justice is not justice at all…"_

_She was sounding awfully coherent for a sleeping woman._

_She jerked awake to find a pair of dark eyes staring at her. They stared at each other. She took in his bronzed skin, slanted eyes, and green hair. He drank in the sight of her pale, peach skin—a hue he had not seen for years—and her Asiatic eyes blinking owlishly up at him with her glasses pressed firmly into the bridge of her nose. They both looked at the swords at each others' waists—she was shocked to see that he had three katana, and he was stunned to see that she had a katana at all._

"_True justice, eh?" That was all he could say before she slapped his face in alarm._

"Don't bring up the past," Tashigi hissed. "Smoker-san, I have Roronoa."

Smoker grunted his approval. "Good job. Let's see…" Smoker riffled through the crew members in his grasp like an accountant would flip through pages of a checkbook. "I have Monkey D. Luffy, 'Mugiwara Nami,' Tony Tony Chopper, 'Mugiwara Brooke,' 'Mugiwara Usopp,' 'Mugiwara Franky,' and Nico Robin. Is that all?"

"No, shithead, that's not all." A foot collided with Smoker's torso—the only bit of him left intact—with force and speed that caught even the Logia user off guard. He flew back, out the door that Sanji had opened in his foresight. Sanji ran out the door, shouting, "Franky! Get the Burst ready! Luffy! Marimo! I need you to help me distract this guy!"

"Um, I'm kind of busy right now, cook," Zoro growled. "My head's about this close to being sliced off."

"_Thunderbolt Tempo!"_

Tashigi shrieked as a bolt of electricity ran through her sword and into her body.

"You're welcome, Zoro," Nami said sweetly. He didn't answer; the sword's close proximity to his neck meant that he had been shocked, too. "Whoops!"

"I'll...kill you, witch..." he growled, before running out (his body was twitching slightly from the electricity). However, he stopped at the door when he saw Nami looming over Tashigi. "Don't touch her. Just…tie her up, but don't do anything else." He vanished out the door.

Tashigi coughed, trying to rise. Nami had only hit her with a slight charge, and she was recovering quickly.

A sandaled foot slammed onto Tashigi's chest, forcing her down. Tashigi looked up and saw Nami glaring down at her. "Robin, when you recover, could you give me a hand or two?"

Robin sat up from where she had fallen after Smoker had lost his grip on her and nodded. "I'll even give you four, Nami-chan." Hands popped up around Tashigi to secure her legs and arms to the ground. Try as she might, Tashigi could not get free. Robin limped over—she had twisted her ankle in the scuffle—and smiled gently. Tashigi was terrified. "Now, what shall we do with you while your Commodore is being distracted, hm?"

Outside, the three monsters of the Thousand Sunny were not having any fun at all. Although they had formed a triangle formation around Smoker, the Marine had his guard up and any blow they landed would have only led to their demise. Smoker's ship was strangely silent—not even a single watchman was out. A thin column of dense black smoke rose from somewhere on the Marine vessel, and the smell of charred wood was heavy on the air.

"Men!" Smoker shouted, not daring to let his eyes stray from his prey. "Get the seastone ready!"

No answer.

"My, isn't this an unfortunate turn of events?" someone said. The voice was unfamiliar—smooth as chocolate cake, and just as sweet, although Luffy grinned when he heard that voice. "It's just _so nice_ to finally meet you, Commodore. You're famous, you know. Almost as famous as I am." Although no one was visible, Zoro could practically hear the person speaking with a sly smile and a wink on his face.

Said face popped up over the railing of the Thousand Sunny. "Heya, Luffy. I can't even leave home for a few years without you getting into all sorts of trouble?"

"Ace!" Luffy cried jubilantly. "What're you doing here?" Zoro stiffened when he heard the name, and saw the flash of Whitebeard's mark on Ace's back under his vest as he climbed over the rail.

Ace shrugged as he jumped to stand, leaning, against the railing. A garish orange hat was tilted slightly as an open sailor's vest revealed a body that could rival Zoro's own; instead of scars, though, there were tattoos. A pair of leggings was rolled up to his knees, giving him a look of a rough-and-tumble kind of guy. Heavy military-issue boots stamped on the deck as he made himself comfortable. "I've been sailing all over the place, looking for a certain man by the name of Marshal D. Teach—some people call him Blackbeard. You know, it surprised me to no end when I heard from those gentlemen aboard your ship that a Marine was speaking civilly to a crew of pirates. I didn't know the Marines had manners!" Ace chuckled. Zoro could have sworn that Ace's eyes lingered for a moment longer than necessary on him as his eyes swept across the men standing there.

"Portgas D. Ace," Smoker growled. "Second Division Commander of one of the most notorious pirate crews in the world. What the hell are you doing, interfering with this fight?"

"Now, now. I can't let you lay a hand on my cute little brother, can I?" Ace sauntered forward, confidence evident in his every step. Zoro couldn't help but think that Ace was probably just as powerful as his confidence let on, and remembered that Luffy had said that his brother was in possession of a Logia ability. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave, Commodore."

"That will not be acceptable. I don't take orders from the likes of pirates."

"From what I hear, you don't take orders at all. I'm surprised you've made it all this way up the ranks. Wouldn't it be a shame if, oh, I don't know…you were to die today?"

Smoker snarled, and exploded in a burst of smoke.

"Guys, get out of the way! A Logia battle's way too hectic for us—we'll just get in Ace's way!" Luffy cried, stretching to grab Zoro and Sanji before launching up to the crow's nest. "Just watch. He's strong!"

"You're okay with letting someone else fight in your place?" Sanji asked incredulously.

Luffy sighed. "Until I figure out how to beat that guy, I can't let you guys get in any danger."

An orange hat flew upward on a warm draft of air. "Watch my hat, Luffy!"

"Yosh! Sure thing, Ace!" Luffy yelled back, grinning madly. Zoro saw the cheerful joy on his captain's face and looked aside sadly.

They watched the battle in fascination. Smoker's attacks were blocked by a wall of fire that the pirate controlled to the extent that even the deck was not charred. Apparently, Ace was prudent enough not to go all out on his brother's ship. Ace danced around Smoker, teasing him as he drew him in the direction of Smoker's ship. The Marine followed, testing to see what effect his smoke had on Ace's fire.

When Ace jumped onto Smoker's ship and began to burn everything haphazardly, Smoker growled and followed, trying to stop Ace.

"The Burst is ready!" Franky shouted over the intercom. Smoker whirled around just for a moment, but was pulled back into his fight when a flash of fire threatened to singe his face off.

"Tashigi!" Smoker shouted.

Robin walked out of the galley with Nami's aid. Tashigi trailed behind on the legs that had sprouted from her back, as her limbs were still subdued by Robin's powers. Her mouth was covered by another hand.

"You seem to have forgotten something," Robin called over. "Would you like us to give her back now, or would you accept her in the mail?"

"Let her go, damnit!" Smoker roared. His smoking fist punched through a thin sheet of fire.

Robin shrugged. "We have no further use of her. Catch!" The legs that Robin had conjured began to run swiftly, as more legs sprouted for more power in the direction of the ocean.

"No!"

The legs leapt in the general direction of Smoker's ship. It was an impressive feat of speed and strength, but it was clear that Tashigi would fall into the ocean. Smoker turned away from his fight and jumped down into the ocean after his officer, pulling her back up in the nick of time.

"Ace!" Luffy shouted. "Come back to our ship!" He stretched his arm, offering Ace his hat back.

Ace smiled sadly. "Sorry, Luffy. I've got places to go. I was just going to stick around until you were safely off. It was good to see you, though!"

"Mugiwara! We're leaving!" Franky yelled. "Coup de Burst!" The Thousand Sunny flew off.

The last that Luffy saw of his brother was a burst of flame as the fire-elemental disappeared.

The last that Zoro saw of his former comrades was a furious Smoker and Tashigi with a single tear running down her face. He also saw Ace's white teeth flashing in a smile before vanishing in a flare of fire. Those lips were moving silently, and Zoro read the words falling without a sound in shock.

_Don't think we've forgotten you, even after ten years...Demon of Shimotsuki Village._

---

"What do you think your brother was doing in these parts?" Usopp asked, swinging his hammer to drive a nail home into the chair he was fixing. The galley was a mess—there were broken dishes everywhere, overturned furniture, and the table had a long crack down the side.

"He said something about looking for a Marshal D. Teach guy," Luffy said. He was sitting on the counter morosely, as Franky had expressively forbidden him from trying to 'fix' anything. "I don't know who he is, though."

Robin looked up from where Sanji was administering ice to her ankle. "Is Marshal his surname?" she asked curiously.

"Probably. Europeans put their family names last, right?" Luffy said, laughing.

"Then he is probably English. If your brother is sailing on his own, then it would not be strange for him to still be in the area—Whitebeard's crew was spotted around the Mediterranean a few months ago, but if he's on a separate mission then he will probably be going at a slower pace than the main crew," Robin said. "Cook-san, I am feeling fine. Perhaps you should go ask doctor-san if he needs ice for anyone else?"

"Hai, Robin-chan!" Sanji ran off to find the little reindeer.

Chopper shook his head when Sanji inquired. "Thanks, Sanji, but I think everyone else is fine. We didn't do that much fighting. But…"

"But?"

"Could you go check up on Zoro?"

"What's wrong with that idiot?"

"I don't know…he went up to the crow's nest by himself. He refused to get a check-up, too." Chopper's eyes were wide and pleading, and Sanji gave in.

"Alright, doctor. I'll go."

---

Zoro stared out the window. He couldn't see where Smoker's ship had last been, but the image of Ace's smiling face was still stamped on his mind.

_Demon of Shimotsuki Village..._

He knew that Ace hadn't been part of the Whitebeard Pirates during the incident concerning Kuina's death. The man looked to be around twenty years old, meaning that he wouldn't have even left home yet when Kuina had died. Nevertheless, he hadn't expected such a prominent member of the Whitebeard Pirates to be so…carefree. He looked the way Zoro imagined Luffy would be if his captain matured, but was still very playful and obviously loved to have a good time. Zoro recalled the Ace had worn an elated expression during his battle with Smoker, as though he was excited to be fighting on equal grounds with someone at last.

"Time for another talk, marimo," Sanji said, climbing through the door to the crow's nest with his customary load of tea. "I brought oolong tea."

"What are you, my psychiatrist or something?" Zoro said grumpily as he accepted a cup of tea. "What do you want to talk about now?"

"I don't know, marimo. You tell me," Sanji said, leaning back with a cup of tea as he stretched one long leg in front of him. "You're the one acting moody."

"I'm not moody," Zoro snapped. "I'm just thinking."

"You can do that?"

"Are you here to mock me or to help me?"

"I'll be good, I promise."

"Tch…well, that Ace…he looked good."

"…? Well, yeah, but…so what?"

"I mean, he looks _good_. Like, he has a good heart."

"Ah, THAT kind of good."

"You... Anyways, it was just unexpected."

"He's Luffy's brother. Of course he's a good guy."

"But he's a Whitebeard Pirate."

"…aaah, I think I see what you're getting at. It's because of your friend, right?" Sanji rubbed a hand through his hair wearily. "Accidents can't be helped, Zoro, and he wasn't even part of it. Don't tell me you have a grudge against him?"

"I know, but it…"

"But what?" Sanji pressed.

Zoro slammed his head into the wall in frustration. "It just throws doubt onto my resolve and my revenge! I mean, what's the point of avenging her death if all the old members are being replaced by guys like that? I couldn't even face him properly! It was like…if I touched him, then it would be sullying her memory!" His face was twisted in anguish and confusion, and Sanji couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Zoro had been carrying to burden of another life on his shoulders, and now it must have seemed like it was all for naught.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Sanji asked gently. "To not seek revenge, I mean. Is revenge what she would have wanted? You said that you made a promise to be the greatest swordsman. Not a murderer." Sanji sighed. "You said it yourself. She was not murdered. If you kill in her name then that _will_ defile her memory."

Zoro grimaced. "I know…"

Sanji scooted over and threw an arm over Zoro's shoulder, patting him awkwardly as one would pet a dog that looked slightly rabid.

"It's just…I don't know what to do, now," Zoro whispered.

Sanji rolled his eyes and slapped Zoro across the side of the head before grabbing him by the ears. He slammed his forehead into Zoro's, ignoring the pain (Zoro didn't even wince. What was his head made of?)

"You fucking idiot!" Sanji snarled. "I thought that it would be obvious!"

Zoro looked up in shock.

"You're going to be the best swordsman in the goddamned world!"


	37. Wotcha

"Man, people sure are unscrupulous," Sanji groaned. "I gave them lemon tea cakes and they try and capture us. Ah…but Tashigi-chan was so…mellorine!"

"Shut up, cook, and make dinner. I'm starving," Zoro drawled, picking at a splinter sticking out on the surface of the table absent-mindedly. "What're you making, anyway?"

Sanji sampled a spoonful of the soup he was making. "Chicken and rice pilaf, tomato and basil soup, and some lightly salted mackerel that I've been fattening up in the aquarium."

"Hm," Zoro hummed in approval. "I'm just glad that we're out of there. France was fine, but the people there really are assholes sometimes."

"Like Smoker?"

Zoro paused, his hands resting flat on the table. "Not like Smoker."

"Zoro, they walked right into here and took advantage of our trust."

"We shouldn't have trusted them in the first place. I don't know why Robin invited them in."

"Robin-chan's always looking for more knowledge."

"Yeah, I guess. But I don't think they really had a choice. They probably knew that if they let us go, then someone on their ship would report them."

"I didn't think you'd have such faith in others, marimo."

"Actually…" Zoro managed to pull the splinter from the table, earning a smack from Sanji. "…Robin might have been right, in a way." When Sanji raised an eye inquisitively, Zoro continued, "They came over so readily, without any backup. Smoker must have wanted to talk without anyone eavesdropping. When he was talking about his superiors…he must have known that they would plant a mole amidst his crew. You can never trust anyone to hunt another man down if they have history together."

Sanji tilted his head slightly. "You have a point there. It's too bad that we couldn't stop by France, though. I heard that Bordeaux has fabulous wine." Sanji looked around in suspicion automatically. "A few Dutch traders snuck some red wine from France a few years ago into the country. The quality was very unusual."

Zoro moseyed over to the pantry as nonchalantly as he could, pulling a bottle from the cabinets.

"Just because we're talking about wine doesn't mean I'll let you steal any. Put it back, or you'll only be allowed to eat after Luffy's been at it for an hour."

Zoro put the bottle back, grudgingly. Sanji smiled and rapped Zoro on the head. "Go and get everyone else. Dinner's ready."

As everyone gathered and began to eat, Zoro sat back and surveyed Nami carefully. When she found his eyes on her, she raised an eyebrow in question.

"Something the matter, Zoro?"

Zoro didn't move, save to speak. "Are you sure that your maps are accurate, Nami?"

Nami flushed. "Do you doubt my navigational abilities?" she snapped, bristling at what she found to be a pass at her skills.

Zoro shook his head, holding his hands out in a motion of peace. "No. I know that you're a good navigator, even though you're a money-grubbing one," he said. Nami looked unsure as to whether she should be flattered or insulted. "But you didn't make those maps, did you? You go them from other people."

Nami nodded. "I lifted these from Nezumi's house. An official like him should have the best maps available."

"I want to see them after dinner," Zoro stated flatly. His voice left no room for argument; it was not a request, but an implicit order. Nami would have argued, but something in his face made her pause. She nodded in agreement, and they continued to dine.

After dinner, Nami brought Zoro to the map room—everyone else followed in curiosity—and pulled out the maps that she had filched from various sources. There was a small amount of variability in their design, but the general layout of the area was evident. Zoro looked at them critically, ignoring when Usopp whispered "Can Zoro even _read_ a map?"

Zoro put the last map aside and sighed. "It's just as I thought. These maps are wrong."

"What do you mean, Zoro?" Nami asked perplexedly. "The area we're sailing in is the same on all of them! They can't _all_ be wrong, can they?"

Zoro shook his head. "There's a small discrepancy between maps and the landscape, sometimes. Usually it isn't a problem, especially since we're sailing through such oft- and well-chartered waters, but I've learned through experience that this particular stretch of land is not as it appears to be on the maps. England," he said, pointing to the island furthest west, "is not here. In fact, Spain and Portugal come all the way out here," he moved his finger, past where England sat on the map. "If we were to go to the New World, it would be more advantageous to stop somewhere like Spain or Portugal."

Nami looked dubious. "Are you sure? I know that you don't have the best sense of direction sometimes, Zoro."

"More like all the time." Zoro turned to glare at the many innocent faces that smiled at him.

"It's not just me. Every man I've sailed with says the same thing, but the maps have never been changed. It's freaking annoying, sometimes," Zoro grumbled. "We could still go to England, if you really wanted to, but it would be best to set sail for the New World after restocking in Spain."

Nami sighed, rubbing her face wearily. "We should go to both, if these maps are wrong. I refuse to have anything but the most accurate maps in my collection." She looked at them all and sighed. "Let's skip around Spain and go to England first. I don't want to have to go to Spain more than once, in case we—meaning you guys—do anything stupid and have to leave early. Understood?" She looked to Luffy in confirmation.

He grinned widely. "Of course! You're our navigator—I'll trust whatever decision you make."

"Then it's settled."

---

"I'm boooored, Nami."

"You're the one who agreed to sail all the way to England without a pitstop."

"But…but…"

"No buts. It should only take a couple of weeks at the most to get there."

---

The days passed by uneventfully, save for when Nami began to throttle Luffy for interrupting her work with cries of "I'm bored!" and "Are we almost there?"

Finally, when his cries of boredom began again, she could give him the answer he wanted.

"Land-ho!"

They could see the tip of what was known as the United Kingdom. This early in the morning, the mist was rolling into the verdant hills in waves that would be burned away later by the morning. The air smelled different—with the summer slowly rolling by and fall approaching, the air was slightly crisper than the warm and heavy climates they had passed through. They were truly in the waters of the Atlantic now, and with fall on the way, things would only get cooler. The water was noticeable choppier, too, although not by much.

Zoro grimaced. He didn't really _like _Europe all that much, which was why he had moved back to Japan. Yet, here he found himself sailing in the very waters he had frequented for nearly ten years, and wondered if he'd ever be able to go back home. Zoro sometimes wondered what it would be like to have a normal life. If things had gone by normally, he would probably be working as a samurai for the daimyo or something equally depressing.

A large sloop-of-war approached them as they entered the waters closer to land, and a deep voice bellowed for them to "Halt, in the name of Her Majesty, the Queen!"

Yeah. Zoro didn't like the British very much. He didn't care whether they had been _called_ Brits in this century or the next, or whether they were part of the United Kingdom of Something or the Other. He supposed it was part of being nominally adopted as a Frenchman that made him loathe them and their _attitude_ and their precious _Queen_ and their _tea time._

"I made tea and cookies, Nami-san! Robin-chan!"

Zoro briefly thought that Sanji would like the UK very much.

Zoro cleared his throat as they approached the sloop. The sailors lining up wore crisply-pressed red uniforms with white pants and brass buttons. Neat, black hats with long white plumes were also evident, giving them the appearance of red peacocks. The officer who had hailed them was standing at the prow of his ship, looking at them with bright, black eyes under bushy eyebrows and over a neatly-trimmed moustache. All in all, they looked very professional and ready for business.

"State your name and intent," the officer shouted. His voice was rough, unlike his appearance, and it was like someone had taken bits and pieces of all the best parts of a British officer and sewn them together, without taking the personality in account.

Luffy stepped forward, tipping his hat in greeting. "Hey! I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm captain of the Mugiwara Pirates! Our intent—umm…."

"No need to speak further," the officer barked. "Scurvy pirates, eh? We'll give you a taste of iron before you can pillage our towns. Men, fire at will!"

"Shit," Zoro growled. He leapt up to stand beside Luffy. "Oi! You! Stop! _Arretez!"_

The officer stopped. "What in the name of…you! Who are you?"

Zoro stood at ease, with his hands on the swords at his waist. "Zoro L'Ollonais, formerly of the _Forte Rhum._ _Enchanté,"_ Zoro said sarcastically. "You are aware that attacking our ship is a declaration of willingness to engage in combat?"

The officer stopped. "Cease fire, men. L'Ollonais. We've heard of you. Turned into a yellow-bellied pirate, have you?"

"Not so yellow-bellied as you might believe. Who are you, anyway?"

He sniffed. "My name is General Absalom Ellison. Perhaps we could, ah, talk this out…"

Zoro grinned. "Franky, Usopp?"

"Yeah, Zoro?"

"Give 'em hell."

"You got it." The cannons in the sides of the ship opened up, firing with deadly accuracy upon the other vessel. As soon as the ship had been crippled, the Thousand Sunny sailed on by.

"Thanks for letting us pass," Zoro called out with an indolent salute. "It was nice meeting you, General." He laughed as he heard the curses of the other men.

"You truly are a demon, aren't you?" Robin commented merrily as she waved goodbye to the crippled ship.

Zoro snorted. "This country has one of the best maritime forces in the world. I'm not about to let the ship get busted up so soon."

They sailed into the harbor without further incident, although they noted that many other vessels saw their Jolly Roger and avoided them. They saw a sign that read "Welcome to Falmouth Harbour!" as they sailed in, and the waters churned with the wakes of the various fishing vessels and commercial ships. As they sailed in, they saw a large crowd gathered at a jetty, apparently waiting for the crew to unload.

"What do you think that is?" Usopp asked, squinting through a spyglass to see what was going on. "The ship's name is the _HMS Beagle."_

"Let's go check it out!" Luffy whooped. The Thousand Sunny nosed toward the crowd. They docked at a neighboring pier, and Zoro went with everyone save Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, who had decided to stay behind and watch the ship.

Sanji tapped a man who was watching on the shoulder. "Excuse me, why is everyone waiting here?" he asked politely. The man stared at him incredulously.

"You're not from around here, are you? Today is the day that the famous Doctor Hogback has returned from his journey around the world!"

Sanji nodded his thanks, looking stunned.

"Someone has already sailed all around the world," he said, lighting a cigarette with shaking hands. "What do you think this guy did?"

Robin cupped a hand to her ear. "Listen. Someone's speaking."

Indeed, there was a speaker telling tales that rivaled even Usopp's. "…Dr. Hogback's trip around the world was the learn medicine from doctors ranging from professionals in Western Europe to shamans in the New World! It is said that he is a genius, the most proficient surgeon in the world…"

"Wow, he's already been to the New World?" Franky said in surprise. "Is that him? He looks a bit…portly, to have done something like that." He pointed, and they saw a large man with dark, small spectacles stepping off the ship. Behind him was who appeared to be his assistant—a young woman with short blond hair who could have been beautiful, had she only smiled.

Hogback raised his hands magnanimously, indulging in the attention and rapture that he was the subject of. "Fosfosfosfos! Thank you, thank you, for welcoming me back home after my long journey! It was a long, hard venture, but it was all worth it for the knowledge I have gained…" He stopped short when a young woman ran up to him, her long dress trailing behind her as a tall, solid butler trailed behind her with a frilly sun parasol.

"Please, Miss Perona, I cannot keep up!" the butler puffed.

"Quiet, Bearsy! You're far more endearing when you're silent!" the young woman shrieked. "Doctor Hogback, you must come quickly!"

Hogback looked at her angrily, but sighed in resignation. "I apologize for my sudden exit," he shouted to the crowd. He stepped down from the platform and followed Perona, not noticing the ear that sprouted under the collar of his heavy coat. "What is it?" he hissed.

Perona looked around cautiously as they walked briskly away from the crowd. "It's Absalom. He needs you to fix him up."

"What? What happened?"

"Apparently some pirates attacked him. He was injured very badly—we'll need to replace some of his men, as well."

Hogback sighed heavily, pushing his glasses up. "Mister Moria won't be very happy about this."

As Robin relayed the information, Zoro froze.

"Moria?"


	38. Dr Hogback

A/N: Oh. My. God. I didn't realize that I hadn't updated this for daaaays. I kept working on my other story (yet to be published, and the title is not even decided yet) and I got carried away. If this chapter seems a bit off then it's probably because it's 3:02 in the morning right now.

But I'd like to thank my reviewers for sticking with this flaky author -_-

---

"Moria?"

"Who's Moria?" Luffy asked loudly. Zoro hissed and hurriedly clapped a hand over Luffy's mouth.

"Let's go back. We can't stay out here," Zoro whispered to them. "Act natural." He slid his hand off of Luffy's mouth and began to saunter back to the Thousand Sunny like a local. Zoro was not doing a very good job of blending in with his golden skin and green hair, but his demeanor was as calm as an underground spring. They made their way back to the Thousand Sunny without incident and gathered in the galley.

"Okay, Zoro, spill," Nami ordered. "Is this another one of those 'this guy is too dangerous to involve you' things?"

Zoro chuckled darkly. "Oh, he's only a grave robber and Shichibukai as well as suspected Devil Fruit user who collaborates with Hogback in experimenting on the human body in order to gain a greater understanding of how we function in order to take advantage of it and quite possibly exploit others."

Silence met his words.

"You're kidding, right?" Usopp asked.

"Actually, yeah," Zoro said with a hearty laugh. "I didn't spend too much time here on my last campaign, so I can't really say for sure.

"Don't say scary things like that!" Nami shrieked, punching Zoro solidly in the face. "If you don't know anything about this guy, then why were you so uneasy to be walking around?"

Zoro rubbed his face with a scowl. "It's not really the smartest thing in the world to stay in the city where a Shichibukai's pet doctor is visiting. This country is known for having one of the most advanced medical communities in the world," Zoro explained. "Dr. Hogback is said to be the best physician and surgeon of our time. He and Moria are thought to have worked together on several occasions to advance medical research."

"He doesn't sound like such a bad guy, then," Franky said in confusion. "You were acting like he was all evil."

"But Moria is a Shichibukai, after all," Robin reminded him. "We cannot trust a pirate who hunts other pirates."

Zoro nodded. "It's dangerous to flaunt the fact that you're a pirate here because Moria will actually actively send men after us if he hears about us. Crocodile and Donquixote weren't like this—probably because they had other business to attend to—but Moria is among the few Shichibukai who actually pursues pirates. The few men that I spoke to who had known pirates who had fought against Moria said that it was like fighting a devil. 'Not natural' was the most common description, although that doesn't give us much information. I heard, though…whenever Moria captures pirate ships for the government, the crew is never seen again. Not even a body washes up on the beaches, and only the captains are occasionally taken for public execution."

"Huh?" Luffy exclaimed. "They have to go somewhere, don't they?"

Zoro put his chin over folded hands, looking thoughtful. "This has been going on for quite some time, but I don't think it began until Moria met Hogback. _Coincidentally,_ the immediate years following their first encounters with each other, Hogback's knowledge of the human body grew exponentially."

"Marimo, you're saying a lot, but you need to stop beating around the bush."

Zoro glared at Sanji but continued. "A lot of this is just speculation, alright? I heard that some of Moria's men, even after being slain in battle, have been seen walking the streets only days after having been killed!"

"Yohoho…perhaps I should meet some of them…"

"Be serious, Brooke," Nami snapped. Before she could continue, Chopper climbed onto the table and looked Zoro straight in the eyes.

"If he can do something as miraculous as that, then I must meet Dr. Hogback," Chopper said, his eyes shining in admiration. "He must know some technique that can heal anyone! Like a panacea!"

"Chopper," Zoro said gently, "these men have died. It can't be normal medicine."

"Maybe…maybe they were just really badly wounded," Chopper said, his bottom lip trembling. "I want to go out and find more information." He ran out the door, but was caught by Usopp.

"Hey, buddy, maybe I should go with you. Safety in numbers, right?" Usopp suggested with a wink. As he walked out with their doctor, he mouthed _I'll keep an eye on him_ as they left.

"Why's he getting so into this?" Zoro asked curiously.

Luffy grinned widely. "Oh, Chopper? His dream is to be able to cure any disease in the world. I bet he'd want to learn a lot from this guy, if he's such a great doctor."

"Pretty big dream for such a little guy," Zoro said. "Well, we're only going to be here long enough to restock, right? We should keep a low profile. This is Moria's domain."

The day passed on with the entire crew either staying on the ship or leaving in small groups to replenish their supplies. It was agreed that Nami and Sanji would be most inconspicuous shoppers, as they were not ethnically Japanese and could possibly blend in with the crowd. Zoro went along as well in case of trouble, although he donned a fisherman's round cap to cover his trademark hair and his exotic facial features.

As Sanji and Nami haggled incessantly, Zoro rolled his eyes in boredom. He should have stayed on the ship; even dealing with Luffy was preferable to this. As he looked around, he saw two familiar figures deep in conversation with the harbor master. Usopp wore his 'Captain Usopp is tougher and cooler than Chuck Norris' expression, while Chopper watching in silent fascination. Apparently, the reindeer realized that he would cause quite a stir if he walked around with horns or a face covered in fur.

"So, my fleet of merchant ships shall be safe in this harbor?" Usopp asked loudly, his hands planted on his hips as he twirled his moustache—when did he get a moustache?—and tapped his foot impatiently.

The harbor master nodded. "Yes. General Absalom is quite efficient when it comes to dealing with outside threats. Why, here he comes right now!" The man pointed to an approaching figure who looked horribly familiar. Usopp looked quite glad to be wearing his disguise, but was puzzled. Hadn't they sunk this guy's ship this morning?

"Who's this?" Absalom asked gruffly as he sized Usopp up and down. "I don't recall letting anyone of your description into this port."

"Ahahaha, you see, it's because my ships haven't come in yet!" Usopp explained nervously. "I came in a tiny dinghy, very easy to miss, this morning. The other ships are all further out on the open ocean!"

_For an official liar, he sucks at it,_ Zoro thought.

"You came with…your reindeer?" Absalom asked suspiciously, looking Chopper up and down. "No other men?"

Usopp snorted. "I brought no gold on my person, in case this port's security was less reputable than it appeared. I was thinking that I could perhaps barter my reindeer for whatever I might need. He's quite convenient. Transportation, trade token, and emergency food supply all at once!" Chopper looked at him in alarm, but the two Englishmen missed the oddly human-like expression.

"Hm. That makes sense," Absalom conceded. The harbor master left with a short bow. "What was your name?"

"I am…Captain Usopp!" Usopp said, his arm shooting up automatically as he bent on one knee, pointing in a gloriously ambiguous direction. Chopper only barely managed to keep from squealing, "Wah! You're so cool, Usopp!"

"…right," Absalom said, giving him an odd look. "What is your business in these waters?"

"I run a business that specializes in exporting straw hats from the Far East," Usopp said. "Our fleet runs at a thousand ships thus far!"

"…straw hats?"

"Yes! But recently, I have taken an interest in medicine," Usopp slid in nonchalantly. "Do you know anyone who I can talk to who happens to be extremely competent at this honorable practice? This land is famous for its skill."

Absalom blinked before looking suspicious again. "Dr. Hogback, it so happens, has just returned this afternoon. Perhaps I can arrange for you to meet with him." Absalom hooked an arm around Usopp's and led him away.

"That idiot," Zoro muttered under his breath. "Nami, Sanji. Hurry up. I have a feeling that Usopp's going to need some backup."

"You can't rush this," Sanji hushed him, while tapping honeydew melons gently with his fingers. "Sounds like these melons have been out a few days too long, mister."

"We've got to _go,_ you idiot."

"Ah, fine…where'd they go?"

"Down Thriller Bark Street. I think they're going up to the top of the hill."

The three of them followed Absalom, Usopp, and Chopper surreptitiously. Absalom led them to a small brick building adjacent to a large mansion, only barely visible behind tall iron-wrought gates and acres of forest. It was indeed at the top of the hill, and overlooked the entire community like the Eye of Sauron. After Absalom had gone inside, Zoro spied the words _Dr. Hogback, Surgeon_ on a small brass plate nailed to the door.

"What are we going to do now?" Nami asked Zoro expectantly.

"Well, we can't just go in unless we have a legitimate reason to, or else it'll look suspicious. But…"

"The only way to look normal is if we had a sick or injured person with us," Sanji said. "We couldn't hurt any of our nakama, but none of us is sick, either. A good doctor would be able to tell with a single glance."

"Let's go back," Zoro suggested. "We'll see what the others have to say."

---

Back on the Thousand Sunny…

"I say, we kick the marimo around a bit and take him when he's nice and bloodied up."

"Oh, you're so clever. I was thinking about doing the same thing to do, but then we'd have to go to a mortician instead of a physician after I was done with you, dartboard-brow." The two men glared daggers at each other.

"Stop fighting. What do you think, Robin?" Nami asked.

"Perhaps we could ask Hogback to perform an autopsy on the two of them." Robin smiled, as though she was discussing the weather.

"That's really scary!" Luffy squealed, clapping his hands despite her morbidity. "Why don't we just go out and find some guys to beat up, then?"

"Oh, Luffy, don't be…ridiculous…" Nami said slowly. "Wait. That might actually work. I bet there's some drunken lout who we can find and intimidate into cooperating with us after we—namely, you men—beat him up a bit."

"First the marimo can read maps, and now Luffy has a good idea? What is the world coming to?" Sanji bemoaned with a wicked grin. Zoro and Luffy looked at him with equally devious smiles on their faces.

_Pow! Smack!_

"You have to admit, Sanji-kun, you kind of deserved that."

---

At Hogback's office…

"…And the doctor says, 'I'm afraid you have tuberculosis.'"

"Ho ho, what next?"

"Then, he says, 'You also have dementia.'"

"Ah, that sucks! What happens next?"

"Then, the patient says, 'Oh, wow! I was afraid I had tuberculosis!' Hosfosfos!"

"Aaah! Hahaha!" Usopp and Chopper squealed with laughter.

"Dr. Hogback? You have a patient," a flat woman's voice interrupted.

"Ah, thank you, Cindry! Please show them in!"

"That joke is also very old, Doctor. You do need fresh material." Cindry turned around and left without another word.

"Ah, she is so harsh to me," Hogback said dejectedly as another knock was heard on the door. "Come in!"

Nami came in, with a bloodied Sanji draping one arm over her shoulder and another arm on Luffy's. She evaluated the room in a single, swift glance: heavy, expensive furniture, thick carpets, incense burners that sent wafts of fragrant and precious sandalwood into the air, medical textbooks lining wall after wall, most of them written under his name…

"Oh, dear," Hogback said in alarm as he helped to carry Sanji to the examination table. "What on earth happened?" Usopp shot Nami a look with the same question, but she avoided his gaze and smiled prettily at Hogback.

"Oh, this poor fool got into a bar fight," she said dismissively. "We're afraid that he's broken something, though. Could you take a look at him, doctor?" She slid a fat gold coin across the table to him. "You know, this isn't his first fight. We wouldn't want the wrong people to hear about something as trivial as a _bar fight,_ if you know what I mean."

Hogback looked at the door and nodded understandingly before sliding the coin into his pocket. "Oh, of course. Let's take a look, shall we? Cindry!" The slim, pale woman came in with a steaming bowl of water and several cloths over one arm. She wiped the blood off of Sanji's face and offered Hogback a moist towel to wipe his hands with. "Thank you. It appears as though your friend here is suffering from several collisions to the head, and what appears to be a vicious strike from the blunt end of a long, thin object. Perhaps a metal pole, or the dull end of a one-edged sword."

Out on the Sunny, Zoro sneezed.

"No broken bones. The nose cartilage appears to be intact. Does this hurt?" Hogback squeezed Sanji's cheeks sharply, and he moaned. "Hm, not enough to indicate any fractures." He spread a fragrant balm on Sanji's injuries and swathed him in a thin layer of gauze. "Nothing too serious, so this should do the trick." His movements were quick, efficient, and showed evidence of a practiced hand.

"Wow, doctor, that was incredible!" Nami exclaimed, laying on the flattery. "You must be very good, to not even panic at the sight of a mangled man."

"Oh, he wasn't mangled," Hogback said, practically preening himself. If he noticed her exaggerated compliment, he didn't make note of it. "He was merely bruised a little. I've handled far more challenging cases before."

"Oh?" Nami leaned over coyly, her eyes shining under long lashes. "I would love to hear about that. This fool could use a rest, after all." She slid another coin across the table.

Hogback pocketed it. "Well, my time is mostly taken up in Lord Moria's services," he began, folding his fingers together as everyone sat down around him. "He often brings in the men under his service for mending. After all, life at sea is very rough, as I'm sure you would all know very well. Where are you visiting from…?" Another coin silenced that question. "Oh, I hear the weather is fabulous there, hosfosfos! But yes, I primarily work for Lord Moria."

"We hear all kinds of crazy rumors going around," Nami pressed slightly. "Word on the street is that you can heal anyone—even the dead!"

Hogback peered at her oddly before responding. "Oh. You must have been talking to quite an interesting source to have heard something as far-fetched as that. No, no, my word only concerns the living. Once a person dies, it is too late for them, much too late! Perhaps you would like to see an example? One of my assistants is preparing a corps—patient, hosfos, patient, for surgery at this very moment. Actually, I must insist that Dr. Chopper at least come along!"

"My, what an unusual-looking fellow," Nami said, holding a hand out as though meeting Chopper for the first time. "What's your name?"

"I'm D-d-doctor Chopper," he replied nervously. Luckily, it was masked as shyness over meeting someone new rather than the anxiety of a liar.

"Oh, introductions can wait," Hogback interrupted. "Time is a-wasting. Let us go. There is a door that leads directly to Lord Moria's manor—that's the large estate next door. The patient is one of his sailors."

As Hogback led the way, Nami whispered to Chopper, "Why are you in your human point? You were in your reindeer form when you left with Absalom."

"I had to wait outside, because animals weren't allowed," Chopper whispered back. "When that Absalom guy left, I took this form and went inside acting like I was late. Hogback bought the act."

"Oh, Captain Usopp? Should we have someone fetch your reindeer?" Hogback asked. Usopp blinked rapidly and shook his head.

"Oh, no. My reindeer is very smart. He has probably already rowed back to the ship!" Usopp blustered.

"Oh." They waited in silence as Hogback thought. "Okay!"

"But Chopper's right here, how can he—" Luffy's question was silenced when Sanji (who was already fully recovered) kicked him in the thigh.

"The walk is quite long, especially for someone so recently injured, so we will take a carriage," Hogback said, pointing to a horse and carriage that were already waiting for them.

"Are you sure? We wouldn't mind walking," Sanji said. "I feel great."

Hogback shook his head. "It is a safety measure as well. The forests are filled with strange beasts. Only this carriage can pass through untouched."

A faint howling underscored his statement, and they climbed into the carriage.

---

"They've been gone too long," Zoro stated flatly as he checked the sun's position. "I know that the ero-cook is sturdy enough that he wouldn't need surgery for what we did to him. I didn't even cut him."

"Yohoho, perhaps they have been caught and are in an interrogation chamber right now!"

"Or they might be undergoing lobotomies at this very moment," Robin added.

"That's horrible," Franky shuddered. "How do you people sleep at night? Have a little faith!"

Zoro snorted. "Faith won't help us if they end up as experiments for some mad scientist. C'mon. Let's go follow them."

"Who's going to watch the Sunny?" Franky protested.

"I'd imagine that with such a vigilant security officer, these waters are safe from thieves," Robin said. "We are probably the only ones to have snuck by Absalom's forces."

Zoro strapped on his swords and went outside to lead the four-man group. As he leapt off the ship and down the street, he heard Franky cough slightly.

"What?" Zoro asked in annoyance.

"You said that Hogback's office is on Thriller Bark Street?" Franky's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Yes. Why?" Zoro snapped.

"It's that way, bro." A thick finger was pointing in the opposite direction.

As they followed Franky's lead, Brooke chuckled.

"Perhaps we should not have followed your advice about Nami's maps either, yohohoho!"

"Do you want to end up like that ero-cook, Brooke?"

"That rhymes! I'll make a songwriter of you yet, Zoro."

"Sigh…"

As they marched swiftly down the rapidly darkening street, they could see the spires of Moria's estates looming high in the sky.

"So, um, what are we going to do once we actually get there?" Brooke asked.

"Does it matter? We'll see when we get there," Zoro replied as he dashed towards their destination.

"Isn't that kind of reckless?" Franky yelped as he began to run as well.

"Ah, such impulsiveness is certainly quite refreshing," Robin said with a smile. They reached Hogback's office and found that it was shut for the day; they hopped Moria's fence.

As they entered the forest, they didn't see the dark shapes gathering and flanking them.

---

A/N: So, how was it? Meh, I know, not up to par, but the next one should be better.

But, I will give some info on my new story, if anyone's interested. It'll be a modern AU (there seem to be a lot of those lately. maybe it's a trend. but I've been working on it quite a while...) which is from Zoro and Sanji's POV. actually, that's all I'm going to say, because I'm revamping the whole story.


	39. Captured, yet again

"Wow, this place sure is big," Chopper gasped as they left the carriage and began to walk up the steps to Moria's mansion.

"Oh, yes, it was built especially for Master Moria," Hogback said with a nod. "See those turrets? I would _die_ for turrets like that."

"Who the hell says stuff like that?" Sanji muttered out of the corner of his mouth to Luffy. He only chuckled and pointed to the forest.

"Hey, Nogdack, what's that?" Luffy asked.

"It's _Hogback,_" the doctor snapped, but stopped. "Ah, Go inside. Hurry!" As they rushed into the house and slammed the heavy doors shut, they heard a distinct thud as something large hit the door. "Those are the forest dwellers. Strange beasts, but Master Moria likes his privacy. This way, please. The operating room is just down this hall."

---

"Where the hell are we, Zoro?" Franky snapped.

"In…the forest?" Zoro said hopefully.

"I don't believe I've ever seen sand in a forest," Brooke noted. "Or an ocean."

"Shut up, Brooke."

"Perhaps I should have led the way," Robin sighed.

A very confused group of 'strange beasts' blinked in confusion as they looked at the would-be heroes who were standing on a beach that they had followed out of Moria's forest. They were a motley assortment of men, with thick black stitches running up and down their bodies and oddly proportioned limbs that looked as though someone had treated them like human Mr. Potato Heads.

"Don't those guys look suspicious?" Zoro noted, pointing with his katana. "I feel like breaking something. I'll be right back." He ran at the unfortunate group of monsters.

"Well, I suppose all we can do is try and find the way back," Robin sighed.

---

Luffy and company stepped into the operating room, where a body covered with a cloth was waiting on a table. Trays of precision tools—scalpels, needles, and other strange tools whose purposes they could not determine—with rolls of gauze, tubes of ointment, jars filled with yellow liquid and unknown organisms…The room was chilly and sterile, and they could hear the night wind beginning to blow through the drafty manor. It was like the setting of an awful Hollywood thriller.

"Creepy," Nami shivered. "Is he the one you're operating on?"

Hogback began to chuckle, lifting the cloth slightly to inspect the body. "Indeed, this is a fine specimen…hm? No. This is not tonight's special." His voice echoed through the high ceiling. He clicked his fingers, and swarms of men poured into the room from the halls.

"Tonight, you pirates will be the ones that I pick apart."

Luffy's eyes widened as he heard those words. "You guys, get in fighting formation! How'd they know about us…?"

Sanji, Luffy, and Chopper formed a circle around Usopp and Nami, who were readying their weapons for long-range attacks to pepper into the crowd.

"It feels kind of like we're in deep shit," Sanji commented as he saw someone in full body armor—really, armor? That hardly seemed fair—approach them.

---

"Looks like we're back in the forest."

"Yohoho, at the front door, too! I'm glad _someone_ knows her way."

"Brooke, you said that your Devil Fruit will only bring you back to life once, right? It's a shame that you've already used your life line."

"P-point taken, yoho…"

"Shall we go in?" Robin pushed the door open after testing it, and entered the room. "Do you hear anything?" They strained their ears, and Robin closed her eyes as her ears began to pop up everywhere. "It sounds like…fighting."

"Let's go, then," Franky said, and began to run in the direction of the noise.

Despite the fact that it was a thirty second run to the battle scene, Zoro found himself separated from them.

---

"Look! It's Franky! And Brooke, and Robin!" Usopp cheered. "Damn, these guys aren't going down! What the hell are they made of?"

"I don't know, but it's a good thing we have backup," Sanji snarled, kicking a man in the face and watching as his neck snapped back. "Okay, that should…oh hell no, why are you getting up?" He kicked the man several more times, only to recoil in horror when the man rose again with an eerie grin. "What the…?"

"Where's Zoro?" Luffy cried, sweeping a large space with a well-timed Gomu Gomu no Muchi. "Is he watching the ship?"

"No, he's right behind—ZORO!" Franky roared. "He was right behind us!"

"That idiot," Nami snarled. "I'm so going to increase his debt just for making us worry."

---

Zoro ran through the halls. Where the hell was he?

He heard rumbling on the other side of a door, and burst in to find a grand battle going on.

"This is more like it. Hey, guys!"

---

"Hey, guys!"

"It's Zoro!" Chopper squealed.

"Interesting, a two-pronged attack," Robin observed in amusement. "Perhaps this will turn out quite well."

As Zoro hacked his way through the hordes of men, he grimaced as he smelled the blood that sprayed through the air. This was a reek most foul, and spoke of infections and rot. As he looked around, he saw that many of the men bore ulcers and pus-filled boils, or wounds that seeped a nasty brown liquid. Had Hogback patched these men up?

Finally, they were all down, either because their limbs had been hacked off or they had been otherwise incapacitated. Hogback stood near the door with a stony expression on his face. Heavy footsteps could be heard as an enormous man walked through the door. He was tall and looked vaguely Transylvanian, with stitches running up his neck and a somber ensemble consisting of a black suit in an ancient fashion. He grinned and patted Hogback on the shoulder approvingly.

"These are the new specimens? It seems as though we have been especially lucky today, with all these strong experimental subjects," he cackled. "My name is Gecko Moria. Welcome to your new home, Mugiwara Pirates…or should I say, grave?"

"What are you talking about?" Luffy demanded. "We just beat up your men, and you think we're going to go down now? Gomu gomu no piston!" His fist shot out as fast as a bullet, but was stopped by the strangest apparition.

"Tsk tsk, so much energy for such a little man," Moria said disapprovingly. He leaned against the wall as his shadow twisted from the wall and blocked the punch. "You really underestimate me, don't you? But I like it. His body is strong, so his shadow will be strong as well. The whole group appears to be quite formidable just on account of their bounties, although one of their members seems to be absent. Where is Mugiwara Sanji?"

"Let me at him," Sanji snarled, fighting against Franky and Brooke's grips as he tried to lash out at Moria. "Thinks he's a funny man, does he? I'll show him where Mugiwara Sanji is!"

"Oh! I didn't see you there behind Mugiwara Franky," Moria corrected himself. "I should have recognized you. You're the splitting image of your poster. The artist must have been very good."

"You…!"

"Calm down, Sanji-kun," Nami hushed him. "He's a Shichibukai—we can't take him lightly."

"Hai, Nami…san?" Sanji tried to move out of Franky's arms to stand at ease, but found himself stuck in an awkward embrace with the shipwright and the musician. "What's going on?"

"I…can't…move…" Nami said in disbelief, obviously trying but failing to move her body. "What is this?"

Zoro tried to look down but found his head stuck in an upward position. He rolled his eyes downward and found that the floor was a mass of writhing black lines running along the floor.

"It's his power," Zoro hissed through clenched teeth. "He's doing something with the floor."

"Not just the floor," Robin murmured, her lips barely moving. "Our shadows. He's manipulating our shadows. But…why does that affect our bodies?"

"I see that you are very confused," Moria said with a sigh as he inspected his fingernails. "This is my power—the Devil's Fruit. I am sure that you are aware of their existence, since half of your crew seems to be in possession of such powers. Hogback. Are the bodies ready?"

"Yes, milord."

"Go tell Perona to come. I have a new toy for her." Moria leered at Chopper, who shuddered. "Perhaps we should keep this one alive. A shape-shifting doll will surely delight her."

Hogback left and returned swiftly with the same girl they had seen at the harbor. Her flouncing skirts swayed with every moment, and tiny shoes peeked out from under the many layers of cloth. She placed one dainty hand on a slim waist and inspected the crew.

"Master Moria, can I really have the reindeer?" she squealed, running over to rub her face against Chopper's fur. He whimpered, and Zoro tugged again at his bonds to no avail.

_What the fuck is with these stupid Shichibukai who can control our bodies,_ he thought viciously. _First Donquixote, now this guy?_

"I was wondering if you could perhaps lend the captain's body to me, Master Moria," Hogback entreated. "I'll be sure to keep him alive. I was just curious to see how a rubber body would react to certain stimuli. Oh, and the woman! If she can sprout limb after limb, then the possibilities are endless! Just imagine—I could patch up Cindry's face with smooth, unblemished skin…"

Moria grinned. "Oh, I'm sure we'll be able to find a lot of uses for them. Is everything ready?"

"Yes, milord." Another group of men emerged from the hallway, carrying ropes and an enormous silver knife. They tied up the crew—although a few shrank from the bloodthirsty auras that some of the pirates gave off—and watched silently. Moria looked over them as one examines the fruit in a produce aisle and stopped in front of Zoro.

"Zoro L'Ollonais, the _infamous_ fugitive," Moria sneered. "Funny, I thought it would be far more difficult to trap the likes of you. I suppose the French just don't make very good stock anymore, do they? I'm not sure whether to use you or my previous visitor for my special creation, though." (_Previous visitor?_ Zoro thought) He picked Zoro up easily, gesturing to the group of men. They all brought lamps forth and stood in a half circle, throwing the two men into harsh contrasts of light and darkness. Zoro twitched violently as Moria's fingers moved, coaxing something forth from deep inside him. He looked down and saw his shadow undulating before rising from the ground to rest in Moria's other hand. His eyes widened as he saw the knife moving, and he struggled against his bonds. However, deep inside of him, he knew that whatever Moria was going to do, it was too late for him to escape.

When the knife severed the connection between his body and his shadow, he went limp in the Shichibukai's hands. The last thing he heard was a collective gasp from the crew, and Moria saying, "Monkey D. Luffy, you're next."

_For some reason, they always seemed to run into the crazy guys…_

---

"Wake up.."

_If that's Luffy, I swear, I'm going to…_

"_Ai dios mio…_" A steel-tipped shoe prodded him, none too gently.

…_and then I'll take his limbs and…_

"Boy, get up. Now!"

Zoro shot up as a foot swung where his face had been just moments before. "Unnhh?" he grunted intelligently. "What the…who are you?"

Sharp eyebrows, a small and dignified moustache with a trim beard, pale skin…and a large cross borne on a golden chain hanging over a well-defined chest that was covered by a black vest and sweeping cape. The two of them sat deep in a cave, and Zoro could see the marks in the ground where his feet had been presumably dragged as he was moved while unconscious. He had little thought to spare for his surroundings, though. Sharp, golden eyes glared at him fiercely from under the brim of a large, black hat.

"You…you're…" Zoro stammered, staring unabashedly at the man kneeling beside him. He struggled to sit up, to appear more dignified in front of this man.

"Is there a problem?" A clipped, cultured voice spoke with precision.

"No! Well, I mean, yes." Zoro's innards twisted as he grappled mentally with the two issues at hand. "You're here. Why are you here? But—my crew! Where are they? Luffy!" Zoro made to stand, but was stopped by a strong hand.

"Do not move outside."

"Why?" Zoro could smell the scent of the forest over the damp odor of the cave, and his instincts told him that it was well into the morning—maybe even the afternoon—already. "I have to go find them."

"You fool." Impatience this time, hissed through strong white teeth. "Right now, you can do nothing for them."

"It's daytime. Too much time has already passed." Zoro looked around at the torches that were stuck into holes in the cave walls, giving off a smoky and feeble glow. "Why are we in here?"

"To go outside in your present state would equal your demise."

"That's bull. I can at least go outside and poke around, can't I? Where are my swords?" A single pointing figure led Zoro to the three swords leaning against the wall. "Thanks. I'm off, then."

"Roronoa Zoro, if you leave, then you are a bigger fool than I took you to be when we first met."

Zoro stopped.

"Stay. I have much to explain to you, if you wish to aid your comrades."

Zoro struggled before sighing and plopping onto the ground again. "How long do we have to stay in here? Why can't I leave? What happened? Where is my crew? What is this place?"

"One question at a time, you brazen simpleton."

Zoro took a deep breath before starting over.

"Fine. Why are you here, Juraquille Mihawk?"

---

A/N: Yes, Mihawk.

And yes, I did tweak Moria's power just so I could have the pirates be captured. Even if the body does follow the shadow, I don't think he's ever indicated that he could control it like that while it was still attached to the owner's body.


	40. Storming the castle

"I'm here to keep you from making a grave mistake." Juraquille Mihawk leaned against the wall with a look that indicated that he was none too pleased with the situation, either. When Zoro gave him an incredibly incredulous look, Mihawk shrugged. "Also, I cannot leave, either."

"Why not?" Zoro asked. Mihawk pointed to the wall, where the light flickered erratically on the earthen walls. When Zoro only looked more confused, Mihawk grumbled in irritation and stood next to the wall.

"I don't have a shadow, you dolt," Mihawk snapped, when Zoro only cocked his head with an enormous 'w-t-f' expression on his face. "Neither do you."

"No way, that's impossible," Zoro protested, but breathed in sharply when he realized that his shadow had disappeared. "It's impossible. This…" He looked vaguely disturbed at the realization. "What does this mean?"

Mihawk sat down again, removing his sword and placing it on the floor with loving care. "I don't know how or why this happens, but I once saw a man with the same condition step into the sun. His body disintegrated, leaving nothing left of his body. I do not know what happened to his shadow. I am assuming that the same will happen to us, although artificial and moonlight do not seem to be harmful."

Zoro ran a hand directly over the ground, marveling at how his body seemed to defy common sense. "Why are you here, of all places? This is not your territory, is it?"

"No. This is Moria's territory, that is true," Mihawk admitted. "However, I was invited to Moria's mansion for a meeting of the Shichibukai. It seems as though I was the only one to arrive, however, for I saw no other man of our rank. I was careless…" His forehead was furrowed into deep creases and his eyes glimmered darkly with a calm fury that sent shivers down Zoro's spine. He had never imagined that this man could get so riled up. "The coward stole my shadow with his damned trickery, and I would have had his head had his power not rendered me unconscious." It looked as though he was still incredibly sore about the entire ordeal.

"When did this happen?" Zoro wasn't sure if he wanted to ask too many questions, in case he became Mihawk's source stress relief.

Mihawk looked at him in utter disbelief. "Two evenings ago. I found out about the effects of sunlight on a shadowless body morning, which is the only reason why I am still alive and the house is still standing. Do you think I would have allowed this to happen otherwise?"

"I suppose not," Zoro grumbled, chastised. "What are you planning on doing?"

"Oh, I'll probably destroy all of his men, slice off his limbs, force him to return what is rightfully mine, and slice him until he bleeds to a horrible death from a thousand new orifices," Mihawk said viciously. He coughed, composing himself. "After that, I might just go and get a cup of tea. They have this blend called Earl Grey that is supposed to be quite delicious."

_Is this guy really talking about tea?_

"I like to take it with a good ratio of one cup of tea per bottle of Irish Cream Liquor."

_Oh. That sounds better._

"But enough about that. I do not know the whereabouts of the rest of your crew. It appears as though you have been separated on the grounds, and left to either perish in the sun or to join the ranks of the crazed men who have unwittingly fallen to the task of guarding the grounds. Most of them will attack any outsider, after having seen their comrades fall under the light of the sun." Mihawk swept one hand along the ground, smoothing out the fine dirt and drawing with the tip of his finger, creating a rough sketch of the surrounding area. "Currently, we are in this cave. There are few places for people with our condition to survive, although I understand that a few more rational men have created underground abodes. If your crew is still alive, then they will be in any one of such places. There is a peculiar thing about this area…"

"What do you mean?" Zoro found himself asking quite a few questions today.

"The mist. The mix of climate and proximity to the ocean, as well as the geographic features of this area, makes it very foggy, especially as fall and winter approach. When the evening mist begins to obscure the sun and darken the sky, we will go. I will storm the castle. You may choose to either find your comrades or to join me. It matters not."

"How big is this place?"

"There is enough acreage that by the time you traverse it from one end to another, the sun will already be halfway on its trip to return in the east."

Zoro sighed. He wished that there was some way that he could keep in contact with everyone else when things like this happened. Who knew what they would be up to?

"I will go with you to Moria's mansion."

Mihawk nodded. "Good choice. If he is defeated, then there is a high chance that his power will restore us to our original states. I do not know what he does with the shadows that he collects, but I do not plan on letting him live long enough to find out. We leave once the day is done."

---

The two swordsmen stood at the foot of the steps that led to the manor. Zoro felt his hands shaking slightly as he stood next to Mihawk.

_What on earth is wrong with you? You're about to fight at the side of the greatest swordsman in the world, and you're trembling like a woman! Maintain your composure! There will be time to challenge him after this whole ordeal is over. It will take but a single night. No more, no less. He is…he is just another man._

The two of them continued to watch the door. It was hanging off its hinges, and large cracks on the one door that was still standing partially upright indicated that some herculean force had torn its neighbor off of its support. Zoro glanced at the floor and saw many sets of footprints that had passed this way.

"Someone, it appears, has already beaten us to the task of storming the manor," Mihawk mused, walking up to the entrance and examining it. "More than one person, but not at the same time."

Zoro merely grunted in acknowledgement of this observation and continued walking into the manor.

"What the hell?" he uttered, staring.

The hall was the scene of a disaster. The crystal chandeliers that had lit their way were smashed and nearly falling from the ceiling. Paintings were splattered with rancid blood, and the floor was full of pits and cracks. Bullet holes and shells smattered along the ceiling and floor, and Zoro could smell ozone.

What disturbed him the most was the myriad of scores everywhere that gouged deep lines into every surface.

"Those cuts are from Santoryuu," he muttered, disturbed. He spied other gashes, deeper and fewer in number. "But those are not."

Mihawk also seemed slightly disturbed. "Attacks of that kind should only be made by someone who is accustomed to working with a blade as gentle as my Black Sword…what is this madness?"

They continued on their way.

"_EEEEEghh!"_ A scream tore through the air, far down one of the many halls and passageways.

"…Nami," Zoro growled. His head tore around in search of the source of the sound.

"_No! Not…don't! Please!"_

"_Help! Luffy, help!"_

"Usopp." Zoro began to run, not knowing whether he was going in the right direction or not. "Chopper."

"_You bastard! I'll…urgh…"_

"Sanji."

"Roronoa, this way," Mihawk said, grabbing his arm roughly and pulling him in the right direction. They ran until they found what had once been an elegant dining hall, judging by the long table and cutlery tossed to the floor. Zoro saw Nami, Usopp, and Chopper slumped up against the wall, panting and grimacing in pain. Multiple incisions had been made all over their bodies, and he tore his eyes away from them as he saw Sanji leaning over, breathing with great difficulty as he faced a man dressed in worn rags that looked as though they might have once been a mercenary of sorts. Zoro took little note of his garb, though; instead, his eyes were caught on the sight of the three swords that the man was wielding.

Santoryuu.

"You…you're not the shitty marimo, are you?" Sanji panted, not seeing Zoro and Mihawk's arrival. "No one is so retarded…that they need…three swords…." He coughed, and a spray of blood flew from his lips. Zoro saw that he had been cut at some point, although it was hard to see where.

The eastern wall collapsed with a crash as a slim figure was thrown through the brick barrier. Another shape followed, wielding a sword of massive proportions and with alarming speed.

"Gomu gomu no gattling gun!"

"This haphazard attack is futile, young man." The figure wielding the one sword blocked Luffy's attacks deftly.

Mihawk looked uneasy. "That man…those moves…what on earth?" He leapt forward with blinding speed, knocking Luffy aside and clashing with the other man. "Who are you?" They stood on equal footing, their stances identical.

The man did not look impressed. "I am the samurai, Ryuuma. Who are you?"

"I am the man whose techniques you have stolen," Mihawk hissed. Zoro watched in amazement—Mihawk's face was contorted not with anger, but with a sort of exhilaration that was shocking.

He was _excited_ about being able to face a man such as himself.

"Oi, Luffy! You alright?" Zoro yelled at the rising Devil Fruit user. Luffy grinned.

"Yeah! But, who is that bastard? He kicked me out of the way," Luffy complained, rubbing his belly.

"We can talk about that later. Right now…" Zoro sprinted, kicking Sanji in a way that was similar to how Mihawk had dealt with Luffy. "Looks like you're in a bad position, shitty cook. Let me deal with this guy. Santoryuu can only be defeated by Santoryuu."

Sanji wheezed sharply at the sudden attack to his abdomen as he went flying. "I'll kill you," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Zoro ignored him. "I know that the only reason this guy could get an attack to hit you at all is because you thought he was your nakama, right? None of us would seriously attack each other."

Sanji smiled slightly. "Looks like I don't need to tell you why I haven't already kicked that guy's ass, then."

"So, who are you?" Zoro asked conversationally, parrying the other man's attacks.

"I am Jigorou of the Wind!" the man growled. _"One hundred pound cannon!"_

Zoro leapt out of the way. "Oh, hell no. No one should be able to use that attack but _me."_

"I'll leave this guy to you then," Sanji called. He ran over to where Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were watching in amazement. "Nami-san, are you alright? Oh, and you guys, too."

Usopp snorted. "The one good thing about this guy using Zoro's technique is that we least we're somewhat familiar with it."

"Yeah, we just barely managed to avoid getting killed," Chopper added. "But how is this all possible?"

"We can ask Moria when we find him," Nami said. "Specifically, when _you_ and the other guys find him. I will be the one to conduct the interrogation."

Luffy brushed off his shoulders. "Zoro and that other bastar—guy, whoever he is, look like they can handle this. Let's go find the others. Zoro, we'll see you in a bit! Right?"

Zoro grinned, his swords moving swiftly and precisely. "Of course. It won't take long to mop up this guy. Go ahead, we don't have any time to waste."

"See? He's strong, he'll make it."

"Luffy, your faith is astounding," Usopp muttered.

As they ran off, Zoro allowed himself to grimace.

He wasn't sure if he could beat himself.


	41. Two Shichibukai, yet again

A/N: Due to an injury to my hands (I fell during a hurdle race) my next few chapters will be a bit slow(er). As was this one...

--

"Oni giri!" Zoro shouted, his body lunging forward as he attacked.

"_Oni giri!"_ Jigorou growled at the same moment. Their attacks met head-on and cancelled out, although Zoro's arms quivered with the force.

_Damn, what is this guy made of?_ Zoro thought furiously. _It's like his body has been pumped with stimulants_. _My swords aren't going to be able to hold up for long. Even Shuusui…_ His heaviest sword shivered, aching but thirsting for blood. _Better finish this up quick._ He sheathed two swords, leaving only one ready for his next attack. "Lion's Requiem!"

"_Lion's Requiem!"_

"Shit!" Zoro cursed. The top of his head prickled, and he jumped to the side as two figures fell from the air, parrying and exchanging blows furiously. He had to dodge with all his concentration to avoid the shockwaves from Mihawk's battle that were tearing up the house. The Shichibukai was panting, with his clothes torn from the battle, but with no visible wounds. Ryuuma looked rather impressed, although this did not stop him from trying to slice through Mihawk with all his might. The pressure was incredible—Zoro had to clench his teeth to keep them from chattering in the face of their battle auras.

Jigorou seemed to materialize right in front of his eyes. "Watch yourself, young man!" Zoro was barely able to block the next attack that nearly decapitated him, and he sucked in a deep breath in preparation for his next attack. _These guys are strong, but judging from what I've been seeing, their bodies aren't entirely stable. Those other guys…their blood smelled just plain nasty. I haven't cut this guy yet, so I'm not sure, but…_

"Ichi Gorilla! Ni Gorilla!" Zoro's arms flexed to an impossibly large size as he put all his power into the next attack.

As predicted, his adversary did the same. They stood, face to face, swords shaking violently and with drops of sweat running down their faces.

With a large tearing sound, Jigorou's arms flew off. They both stared at the flying limbs and Zoro looked down to see blood spurting from the other man's shoulders.

Another clean slice removed his head.

"Wow, that's fucking nasty," Zoro muttered as he wiped his blades clean. He saw that the katana that Jigorou had been using were tarnished and of poor quality—it must have been difficult to have obtained them. A shudder went through his body as his shadow streamed from Jigorou to his own feet; he felt more whole, more complete. He looked up and saw Mihawk leaning heavily on his sword, looking down at the body of what had once been the great samurai of Wano Country.

"You are finished?" Mihawk said quietly, sparing a glance for Zoro. He looked at the sword still gripped in Ryuuma's hand—which was lying about ten feet away from his torso—which was lying another ten feet from the rest of his dismembered body parts. "He was an extremely formidable adversary. It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of an opponent with his skill and cunning." Mihawk smiled slightly. "Even if it was like I was fighting myself. That perhaps is the most difficult of battles, despite one's familiarity with oneself."

"Forget what I said before," Zoro muttered as he stepped over one of Ryuuma's legs. "_This_ is fucking nasty. Nas-tay. Why'd you cut him up so much?"

Mihawk sighed regretfully. "Normally, for such a worthy man, I would only slice his chest open and leave his body intact. However…he fought like a madman. He reminded me a little of you, you know—he refused to give up, even after he was standing on his knees."

Zoro knelt and picked up the sword, grimacing as the once-brilliant metal fell apart. "Such a strong blade…had it been properly preserved and cared for, it would have been one of the best that I've ever seen. I believe this is Yubashiri. One of the Ryou-Waza-Mono 50…the Snow Step. It's incredibly light, too."

"You seem to have extensive knowledge of this, Roronoa," Mihawk noted with curiosity. "It is an Oriental item, is it not? Have you been involved with Dutch traders or smuggling groups?"

Zoro shrugged, gesturing to the swords at his side. "You remember seeing these, don't you? I obtained them through many different means, but…Wado Ichimonji was my first true blade. I am Japanese, after all. You've been calling me Roronoa, haven't you?"

Mihawk raised an eyebrow, but didn't question further. "I saw your bounty poster. Impressive, for one as young and inexperienced as you. Shall we continue? If we follow the path of destruction that your comrades have left, then we should be able to find our target."

Zoro nodded, with one last regretful look at the two fallen men and Yubashiri.

---

A great shudder tore through the air, making the rafters release clouds of dust in the aftermath. Zoro and Mihawk began to run, only barely making it out of the gutted mansion before it collapsed behind them.

"What was that?" Zoro exclaimed in surprise as he looked around.

"That might be the source," Mihawk said calmly, brushing dust off of his shoulders as he pointed towards a massive figure in the distance, surrounded by smaller ones darting around it. "It appears as though everyone is gathered here."

As they marched quickly in the right direction (Mihawk had to grab Zoro to keep him from walking the other way) they saw that everyone was engaged in battle. Chopper was facing off with Hogback, who looked surprisingly formidable despite his plumpness while wielding a pack of scalpels like throwing knives. Sanji was fighting General Absalom, although he looked as though he was doing pretty well. Everyone else—Luffy, Nami, Brooke, Robin, Franky—was fighting Moria. He had been tall and formidable enough before, but now he looked extraordinarily spooky. His body was bloated, but he moved with a speed and strength that belied his appearance. Zoro could see that his shadow was not just his own, but must have included those of several members of the crew; he thought he could make out Luffy's thin limbs, Usopp's long nose, Franky's bulky arms, Brooke's afro…

"Oi, captain! Need help?" Zoro called when Luffy leapt back to avoid a vicious kick from Moria.

Luffy brightened when he saw Zoro. "Zoro! Finally! Did you get lost?" He moved automatically to dodge another attack.

"We meet after getting metaphorically screwed by this guy—" He stopped, thinking _How do we know that we didn't literally get screwed…?_ before discounting such thoughts as disturbing and unnecessary "—and that's the first thing that you ask?"

"Less talk, Roronoa. Let me handle this." Mihawk stepped forward, and the battle seemed to fall into a standstill. Hogback and Absalom had been defeated, and everyone had formed a circle around Moria. As Mihawk stepped forward, Moria turned to him with an expression on his face that indicated that he was in some discomfort (most likely due to the shadows he possessed) and that he did not relish the thought of dealing with a wrathful Mihawk.

Mihawk smiled. "Moria. It's a pity that your Queen is so fond of you. I will have to explain your sudden death to her myself."

Moria swayed, his arms held upright as he reached for Mihawk. "How…did you beat…Ryuuma?" Moria hissed, looking vaguely ill. "He had your essence! It…it's impossible!"

Mihawk scoffed. "How could I let a fake take my title so easily?" he said contemptuously. Zoro kept his eyes wide open, watching carefully; he knew that something incredible was about to happen.

A breeze went by, and he blinked.

Mihawk flicked in and out of existence, from standing in front of to running from behind Moria.

Another flash and his sword was drawn.

A split second later, the air was ripe with the scent of Moria's blood and the silent screams of liberated shadows. He could hear the others sigh in relief as their own shadows were returned.

Moria fell to the ground, bleeding and gasping. Mihawk stood above him with a look of disappointment.

"Have these young pups beaten you to the point where you cannot even put up a decent fight, Moria?" Mihawk murmured, wiping his blade clean before sheathing it. "You, who was once the pride of England, are no more but a sad shell of a man. I would like to kill you, for my own satisfaction and to relieve your dishonor, but the World Government would like your head just as much as I would. I will kill you after bringing you in." Moria made no response; he was out cold.

With that, Mihawk lifted Moria onto his shoulder with ease and began to walk away.

"Yahoo! We're back to normal!" Luffy whooped, hopping up and down despite his battered state. Everyone showed evidence of difficult battles, from cuts and scrapes to dark bruises and other wounds. However, it appeared as though no one was seriously injured.

Zoro watched Mihawk's retreating back in disbelief.

"JURAQUILLE MIHAWK." His voice was not louder than normal speech, but carried far more power than any bellow could. "Will you not allow me to challenge you?"

Mihawk stopped, and turned his head slightly to indicate that he was listening.

"You, who carry the title I covet," Zoro continued, his voice flat. "The man that I have been searching for my entire life. I challenge you to a duel, with the title of the strongest swordsman in the world at stake!"

Mihawk was silent for a moment. "And if you lose? What do I have to gain from fighting a minnow such as yourself?"

"You have seen me in battle. Have I not proven that I am worth your time?" Zoro rebutted. "Furthermore…you will be gaining 100 million beri, if you can take my head."

"That idiot," Nami hissed, slapping her forehead.

"What the hell are you playing at? You treat your life like a pile of poker chips!" Sanji snarled, limping over. "Don't pull this shit _again._ Never again. I—we can't handle that."

"This is his dream. Don't stop him," Luffy commanded, his face dead serious.

Zoro couldn't tell if the slight curve of Mihawk's mouth was a smile. "You would be willing to give up such loyal comrades?"

"I give up nothing, and gain everything," Zoro retorted. He drew Wado Ichimonji, hearing the spirit of his promise singing in the blade. _Kuina…_

Mihawk dropped Moria onto the ground, turning around.

_Are you watching?_

Neither man drew his sword; they only waited, gauging the other.

_It's been a long time…_

Zoro stuck Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, and felt Sandai Kitetsu and Shuusui humming in a rhapsody of glee.

_I…_

The sparks flew like fireworks in the dark night. Both men were slightly fatigued, but not to the point or of such imbalance that they could not fight as though they were in their prime. Zoro could feel the adrenaline kicking in, and wondered whether he riled Mihawk up to the point where he felt the rush as well.

Zoro ignored the first slash that bit deep into his shoulder. Mihawk sported two shallower ones. This could work.

The next attack that passed his defenses was a bit more worrisome; he dimly wondered whether the blood loss from that would affect his judgment.

Mihawk grimaced when Sandai Kitetsu nearly took an eye as he saw his hat fly away.

_Kuina…it's finally here…_

Zoro thought he could hear Chopper screeching at him—something about arteries.

Mihawk looked impressed. Hell, yes.

He actually dealt Mihawk more than a little superficial damage with his next attack.

Zoro could imagine Kuina speaking to him, scolding him: _'Zoro, you're weak as always…your moves are far too wild, like a mountain boar…how can a man be so unskilled…Zoro…it's a promise…'_

He smiled, but it was not the normally feral smile that he sported in the heat of battle. This was the expression of a Buddha, the pleasure that one might gain from seeing a child grow up.

Mihawk bled heavily from his dominant arm, and Zoro was amused to see him switch to his left hand. Ambidextrous, then.

That was the nice thing about three swords. Three times the insurance.

_If I don't succeed this time, then you can pummel me when I meet you in the Afterlife._

Robin and Nami were conferring quietly in the background. It was odd that he could hear their hushed murmurs, but he couldn't hear Luffy's shouts—he assumed, at least, that his captain was yelling—or Sanji's bellows. Franky, Brooke, and Usopp were silent to his ears as well, although Chopper's shrill keening was a buzz in the background.

The women were speaking…_"How can he still be standing?"/"He's always been that strong, Nami-chan."/"But this is absolutely ridiculous. Aren't they going to stop?"/"Perhaps not…not until one of them is dead."_

"You…you better beat him!" Ah, the gravelly music to his ears. _Ero-cook._ "You shitty marimo, you…don't you dare die on us! Even if you're bleeding enough to make black pudding! With extra blood sausage! You…I…I—we need you! Fuck, you're slowing down! He's—ah, that looks painful as hell…shit, am I distracting you? You can't be the best if you get distracted by someone like me! Argh! _ZORO!"_

_Well, that's unusual. Not 'marimo' this time, eh?_

How odd. Mihawk was smiling—absolutely beaming, in fact. It was especially odd, considering that he was using the blades in his hands to stop Kokutou Yoru from cutting into his chest any further, and that Wado Ichimonji was buried deep in his neck.

"You're improved…far more than any of my wildest expectations…" Mihawk gasped, somehow maintaining his dignity even as his breathing passages were flooded with his own life force. "Zoro L'Ollonais…Roronoa…I pass my title on…you are now…the greatest…swordsman…in the world." As Mihawk slumped forward, Zoro pulled his swords back and watched his greatest adversary fall to the ground.

Zoro was suddenly aware of his surroundings in a rush of sensations—the dewy breeze of the moist forest, the raucous yells and whoops of his crew, Chopper's hooves as the doctor rushed forward to examine him, the throbbing pain of his wounds. However, he still pulled together enough energy to pull Mihawk up and lay him flat on his back. Those golden eyes were still open, staring sharply at the sky, as though accusing the heavens of snatching his soul away. Zoro rummaged in his pockets, searching. A small hand on his shoulder offered two gold coins, and Zoro smiled gratefully at Nami as he accepted them and placed them over Mihawk's lids. Somehow, the brilliant sheen of the gold was nothing compared to the bright eyes that they covered.

"It's would be a great disgrace to let you pass with your back to the enemy, wouldn't it?" Zoro whispered. His voice was strangely hoarse. "Juraquille Mihawk." He bent forward, holding Wado Ichimonji parallel to Mihawk's body in a motion of silent respect. "I will ensure that your body is cared for."

With that, he slipped into the oblivion…

---

A/N: Sorry if the italics were a bit confusing. They're all thoughts (except when Nami and Robin were whispering) and stuff. But yeah, was it a little too much action all at once? First Ryuuma and Jigorou, and then Moria, and then Mihawk? Hmm...

Coincidentally, I will do a little shameless advertising. The first chapter for my modern AU Water Sector is up.

And Santoryuu-Zoro,I apologize (very much so) for the late update.


	42. Juraquille Mihawk

A/N: This chapter is a bit longer than usual because this story is winding down to an end.

---

Zoro sat up wearily, scowling cross-eyed at the welt that crossed his face. Strange, his legs and arms felt far too short, and his arms were leaden.

"You're weak as always, Zoro," Kuina said with a laugh, dancing back with her shinai held at the ready. The smooth, worn floor of the dojo was warm in the summer heat, almost too warm; Zoro could feel beads of sweat forming rivulets that ran and stung his eyes, although he wasn't sure if it was because of the workout or the weather. "How can a man be so weak?"

"Hush, Kuina," Koshiro said with a gentle smile. "Good effort, Zoro. Your hard work is really paying off."

Zoro looked around at the awed faces of his peers and felt like something was wrong, in a way that was far eerier than his 2002nd? 2003rd? defeat.

"How are you going to become the world's best if you can't even beat me?" Kuina said mockingly.

Zoro opened his mouth, wondering why his throat burned, and why his body ached with every movement. "But—Kuina! I am! I…we…Mihawk! I beat Mihawk!" He began to struggle against the leaden weight of his body, forcing himself to stand. "I just beat him. Didn't you see?" The past and present, his imagination and reality, crashed together. "Where's Luffy?" He clutched his suddenly laboring chest and was astonished to find the smooth, relatively soft chest of an adolescent, and not the scarred pectorals he was accustomed to. "Where's everyone?"

"We're right here, silly," Kuina laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"I beat Mihawk for you," Zoro whispered, clutching his splitting head. "We made it, Kuina."

Kuina shook her head sadly at him. "Who is this Mihawk?" she asked. He was astonished to see tears running down her face. Kuina was tougher than this, he knew; what was wrong?

His world began to dissolve into blackness as he reeled. "No! Kuina!"

She refused to wipe her eyes, to acknowledge her tears. "Thank you, Zoro…"

_No!_

…

"Chopper, hurry! He's seizing!"

"Put this in his mouth, or he'll swallow his tongue! Quick!"

"Can't we do anything about his fever?"

"This medicine should have taken care of it hours ago, I don't know why his body's so resistant to it," Chopper wailed.

"Chopper, he's bleeding again!"

"Apply pressure, I need to redo his stitches!"

"Ah, he's waking up."

Zoro opened his eyes blearily. "What are you guys screaming about?" he managed to rasp, coughing. He didn't know that his saliva was red.

Oh. It was blood.

"Shut up, marimo, and let us fix you," Sanji snarled. His arms were covered with Zoro's blood, and his shirt was stained with the stuff. Zoro could feel the earth swaying, and wondered whether they were on the Thousand Sunny or if he was just dizzy. He inhaled, and could smell the ocean.

"Okay, Zoro, this is going to hurt a little bit." Chopper's words were the last thing Zoro heard before passing out in another wave of agony.

…

"Good morning, Zoro-kun," Koshiro said pleasantly. "Tea?"

Zoro looked around feverishly, his neck cricking in the process. "Ow…Sensei, where's Kuina?"

"She went to work on her technique with real blades. She's out in the forest practicing away from everyone else. It shouldn't be hard to find her." Koshiro sipped his tea peacefully. "She's been out there for about an hour, so you might want to hurry if you want to catch her before she comes back for her breakfast." Zoro was already out the door, his legs pumping furiously.

Zoro finally found the clearing where Kuina had evidently been working out, judging by the plethora of sliced-up branches and tree trunks everywhere. He leaned on his knees, panting—why was his throat so constricted, and why were his legs so unresponsive?—as he asked the students who had been watching her, "Where is she?"

"Kuina? She went back to the dojo," one of them said. "She said something about her sword being too dull, so she wanted to get her whetstone."

"Ah, I see." Zoro leaned against the tree. "She went to…wait. She went to get—shit!" Zoro sprinted back.

When he returned, it was too late.

She was already gone.

…

"Can't you do anything about the pain?" Nami asked plaintively.

"I don't dare to give him any more painkillers. He shouldn't be hurting anymore. Why?"

"Tears…there are tears coming out of his eyes," Luffy said in trepidation and awe.

Robin examined Zoro's face carefully, taking note of his anguished expression. "This…I don't think it's physical, Nami-chan. It must come from inside of his soul."

Outside, Sanji smoked the last cigarette in his possession, the tips of his fingers singed from his distraction.

…

Zoro held Wado Ichimonji in disbelief. Would he have to start all over again?

---

"How's he doing, Chopper?"

"The feverfew worked, and his temperature is down to normal. I've taken him off of most of the painkillers, but he shouldn't be in any great pain. His breathing is normal, and there's no fluid in his lungs. None of his wounds show signs of inflammation, either. He should recover well," Chopper said wearily. "All we can do is wait for him to wake up."

---

Zoro opened his eyes, blinking at the ceiling. A dozing Sanji was propped up uncomfortably in a hard chair next to his bed (despite the fact that the chair had probably been chosen to prevent its occupant from sleeping). He wondered what time it was. He tried to move his arms to lift himself up, but found that it was best to listen to his screaming joints and just sit quietly for a while.

Well, if he was just going to sit here, then he might as well have fun.

"'Ey, cook! Wake up!" Zoro yelled. Well, he would have tried, but it came out mostly as a harsh croak.

Still, Sanji jerked awake and fell off his chair, much to Zoro's amusement. "Ugh…you just have to try and piss me off even when you've been asleep for three days, don't you?"

Zoro chuckled, but stopped when his throat itched unbearably. "Heh—wait, three days? Since my fight?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Mihawk's body. What happened to it?" Zoro asked desperately, resisting the urge to claw at his throat.

Sanji sat back in the chair. "Chopper took care of him. He's been properly embalmed and preserved, and we've been keeping him in the bottom of the ship where it's coldest, so he'll stay pretty fresh. You wanted to perform the funeral rites yourself, didn't you?"

Zoro relaxed with a relieved sigh. "That's good." A rumble from his stomach complained loudly.

Sanji chuckled. "Hungry? Chopper took you off any meds so you'd have a good appetite when you woke up. You need the energy. Lately, we've just been getting whatever liquid we could down your throat, but you need some real food."

"Real food?" Zoro said hopefully. "Not soup?"

Sanji stood and flashed Zoro a wide smile.

"Yeah. Soup. Lots and lots of soup." Still smiling, Sanji left.

Zoro scowled. "Only happy when you're torturing me, aren't you?"

---

Zoro was confined to his bed for another two days, and would have been in there longer had he listened to Chopper's instructions. Still, he missed the fresh air, and was tired of being in bed all day.

He was sprawled on the deck safely tucked away next to the stairs, where he was least likely to be trampled on by a rampant Luffy. He buried his fingers luxuriously in the cool grass, yawning in a motion that exposed his tongue to the warm sun. He grinned, imagining that he could taste the sunlight.

"You look really weird when you do that," Sanji informed him, coming out of the galley with a covered tray. Zoro could smell something tantalizing from the tray, but didn't ask. It was probably something for Nami or Robin.

"Quiet. I'm happy here," Zoro grumbled. He was surprised when Sanji knelt and placed the tray gently on the grass before lolling on the grass beside Zoro.

"Mmm, it does feel good, doesn't it? Even to a non-vegetable like me," Sanji hummed appreciatively. "You know, that's the first time I've ever heard you say that you were happy."

"I don't usually express the sentiment."

"Hm. You should. So everyone knows that you're human, and capable of emotion," Sanji said. He sat up and drew the tray closer. "The doctor says that you can move on to eat solids. I made you this stuff that the locals call bangers and mash." Truthfully, Chopper had said that Zoro was allowed to eat anything he wanted the day before, but Sanji wasn't going to tell Zoro that. He had needed a taste tester for his new soup recipes. "It's simple, but satisfying."

Zoro was heartened to see the potatoes and sausages. "No vegetables, huh?" Zoro said, grabbing the offered plate and digging in.

"There's salad here," Sanji sniffed, looking disdainfully at Zoro's eating habits. "I expect you to eat all of it."

After Zoro had stuffed himself, he leaned back with a satisfied groan. "Man, that was good."

"Is that a compliment I hear?"

"No. It's not." Zoro looked at the sky thoughtfully. "How long do you think it'll take to get to Spain?"

"If we leave today, then it shouldn't take more than a couple of days in good weather," Nami said, walking down the stairs from the upper deck. "In fact—Franky! Are we all ready to go?"

"Yeah, everything's good to go."

"Let's set sail, then!"

They immediately left, and Zoro looked at the rolling green hills of this island nation for the last time.

"Ero-cook," Zoro said, picking at his teeth. "Whatever happened to Moria?"

"Oh, him? Some guy from the World Government came to pick him up," Sanji said, running a hand through his hair. "Weird-looking chap. He looked like a missionary. He said his name was Bartholomew Kuma."

Zoro coughed violently. _"Kuma?"_ he gasped. "What the hell was Kuma doing there?"

"It's a bit strange, really…"

_When Zoro had collapsed, Chopper immediately went into his human point and picked him up. "I need to get him back to the Sunny immediately!" he shrieked, already running off towards the harbor. After he had left, Sanji turned to look upon Mihawk's body. Zoro had somehow arranged his body so he looked as though he was merely sleeping if you ignored the wounds all over his body. Sanji moved to pick Mihawk up, knowing that Zoro wouldn't want them to just leave him there. A heavy hand on his shoulder made him turn around, and what he saw made him nearly yelp in shock._

_A man with dark tinted glasses and a cap covering his thick brown hair looked solemnly down at him, carrying a Bible in one hand. Sanji was reeling from his appearance—the enormous man had simply appeared from thin air, and he hadn't even sensed him at all._

_Alerted by Sanji's exclamation, the crew turned and gasped. "Who are you?" Luffy demanded, already rolling his sleeves up in preparation for battle. Everyone was too tired to fight, though, and they could all tell that this would be a losing battle if this man was a threat._

_The man stood upright, one hand on the cuff of his glove as though to remove it. "My name is Bartholomew Kuma. You are Monkey D. Luffy, are you not?"_

_Luffy nodded. "That's me."_

"_Don't tell him, idiot!" Nami hissed. "He could be after your head!"_

_Kuma held up a hand in a gesture that said 'I'm not here to fight you.' "I was summoned here by this man's invitation, although it appears as though his welcome is less cordial than I had expected." He looked at Mihawk. "The day that both Moria and Mihawk would be defeated…tell me what has taken place here, pirate."_

_Luffy began to explain using wild gesticulations and phrases that he could have only learned from Usopp's crazy tall tales._

"_Enough," Kuma growled. "I am looking for a coherent account, not this jibberish."_

_Sanji stepped forward. "What you see here is the destruction from Moria's vices. He took our shadows with his power—I know not how, or why—and lured his fellow Shichibukai to his home and stole his powers away as well. Mihawk was the one who slew Moria."_

"_And who took Mihawk's life? His power rivals even mine," Kuma said. They were all disturbed at his choice of phrasing, but didn't say a word. "One of your comrades, then? Is he still alive?"_

"_We're not telling you anything," Luffy said defensively. "Not if you'll hurt anyone."_

_Kuma looked at their determined faces, and how they were all fixated on his own eyes—they refused even to give a general direction with a flicker of their eyes. He stopped the motion of removing his gloves and instead opted to pick up Mihawk and Moria with ease._

"_Wait," Luffy said. "Not Mihawk."_

"_No?" Kuma said in mild surprise. "What could you possibly want with this man's body?"_

"_Zo—we wanted to bury him," Luffy said. "We promised him that we'd give him a proper burial. Not you. Us."_

_Kuma regarded Luffy steadily, as though a flicker of recognition ran in his face. "That hat…boy…" He shook his head. "Nevermind." He placed Mihawk gently back into his original positon. "Very well. I will inform Headquarters of Moria's betrayal of his fellow officers. I have no doubt that whatever he did to Mihawk, he had planned to do to me as well. Unfortunately, due to this heavy burden, any possible perpetrators of Moria's property damage and possible death were able to escape."_

"_Shishishi, thanks!" Luffy said happily._

_Kuma nodded courteously. "Goodbye, Mugiwara." With a soft popping sound, he disappeared._

"Hm, that's surprisingly civil of him," Zoro mused. "Well, whatever. Shichibukai are weird, anyway." He flipped onto his back, closing his eyes. "Don't wake me up unless you come with a bottle of grog and intend on sharing." Even as Sanji rolled his eyes, Zoro was already snoring.

---

The autumn air was crisp this time of year in La Coruna, and Zoro looked out at the portside city with little trepidation…despite the rows of battered warships and vessels that blocked their way.

"I wonder if there's a such thing as a peaceful port?" Franky wondered out loud.

"England was pretty peaceful when we first arrived," Usopp noted. "Italy, too."

"Let's see what they want," Luffy said, hopping onto the rail. "Is that the head ship?"

"It looks like it," Robin replied. "That one ship in the middle appears to be coordinating the others."

"Yosh!" Luffy immediately threw an arm to the other side. "I'll be right back!"

Nami sighed.

"Aren't you going to stop him, Nami?" Usopp asked.

"No…I've given up," she replied. "I've learned that it's best to beat him up later."

A large plume of smoke accompanied by a bang was already coming from the other ship.

"It looks like the ruckus has already begun," Sanji muttered. "He's such a…jeez…"

"I guess this place is still in turmoil," Zoro said. "They've been having political problems for years. I remember having to come out here to settle a political uprising. It got pretty ugly."

"I'm back!" Luffy returned back with a struggling man over one shoulder. "I think this guy's the captain. When I grabbed him, everyone stopped fighting."

"Well, that was easy," Usopp said with a laugh. "Good job!...as per my instructions, Luffy."

"Shut up, Usopp."

"Yes, sir."

"What do we do now?" Chopper asked. "Are we just going to sail on through?"

"We don't have any other choice, do we?" Robin said, crossing her arms to form shackles around the captured captain. "You may let go of him now, Luffy." The man's eyes rolled in terror as he spied her limbs sprouting, but he had stopped struggling. "Now, what could we do to stop your ships, sir? If we were to cut off the head of the snake, would the body stop writhing?" She drew a finger across his throat in an obvious threat.

He gulped. "I-I-I'll tell them to leave you alone. Just, don't kill me!"

A little while later, the crew found themselves stepping on dry land without a single scratch on the Thousand Sunny.

"What do we do with him now?" Brooke mused, poking the man in the cheek. "He looks rather pale."

"We'll worry about it later," Zoro grumbled. "Right now, we're going to care of Mihawk."

"Mihawk?" the man sputtered. "What about him? He has not returned home for years. Have you information on his whereabouts?"

Zoro shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I know where he is. Why?"

The man stared at his hands. "The land has been in turmoil…for many years, we have been preyed on by the French. The Boss tries to keep order, but it's hard when the enemy is so strong. The World Government refuses to step in. Mihawk was the only buffer, the only protection we had, but he left on government business and has not returned."

"Who's your boss?" Zoro demanded.

"Foxy the Silver Fox," the man replied. _"El Zorro Plateado._ He tries to unify the country under one force to resist attack, but it is a battle on two fronts."

Zoro sighed. "Tell your boss that we don't mean any harm. We're only here to pay homage to Mihawk. That is acceptable, no?"

The man nodded. "The Boss is very fond of Mihawk. I'll let him know right away. Er, may I?" the man said, jerking his head at his bonds. "You have no further need of me, correct?"

Robin nodded, her arms disappearing.

The man immediately stood and trotted off, but was stopped by the keen edge of Sandai Kitetsu at his throat.

"Betray us, and we will crush you," Zoro whispered in his ear. The man nodded, before he was released once again.

---

A surprised glance and a friendly local pointed them in the right direction. The crew received many strange looks for the load they carried, for it was obviously a coffin that Zoro carried on his back. Despite Chopper's protests, Zoro insisted on carrying it himself, and ignored the throbbing of his wounds and the weight of the ornate wooden coffin.

Another passerby that they asked for directions pointed to the top of a hill near the edge of the city, and Zoro groaned. Just what he needed—a slope.

The city itself was busy, as expected of a port town, despite the alleged attacks on the nation itself. Zoro took in the spicy scent of street vendors selling food from booths and took in the sights. This was the kind of town he wouldn't mind retiring in—the people were friendly, the climate was enjoyable, and the culture was fairly exciting. Not to mention that the locals were always ready to help them go in the right direction.

They found Mihawk's dwelling in the form of a villa overlooking the ocean. It was no wonder that it was so high—it was near the edge of a cliff, and Zoro saw a path that might have led down to the sandy beaches below. The house was empty, but showed evidence of care; someone must come on occasion to tend the gardens and keep the house clean.

"I guess this is it," Zoro panted, not putting his load down. "Where do you think we should…?" His voice faded as he saw Mihawk's garden. It was a tamed jungle of golden marigolds and bright red poinsettias—the first in a wave of fall blossoms after the summer crops had died out. Zoro wondered who tended the flowers here, and apologized silently to them. He would have to dig the garden up a little.

Franky saw his intentions and immediately held a hand up. "Stand back. I've got this." He immediately began to dig with his bare hands, and the rest of the crew joined in. Pretty soon, a sizable hole gaped from the soft loam, and they all dusted their hands off in satisfaction. Zoro knelt and placed Mihawk's coffin in the earth, along with a few symbolic items—a small bag of gold coins that Zoro had scraped from his meager savings, a whetstone, a bottle of metal polish, and a box of Earl Grey tea with a flask of Irish Cream. Zoro would have liked to have cremated Mihawk, but realized that he had no idea what Mihawk wanted, and decided to play it safe. They all proceeded to spread the soft earth back over the coffin, and Zoro patted the earth firmly with his hands before pulling a few sticks of incense from his pocket. Sanji lit them silently, watching them flare before the breeze blew out the flame and released the billowing smoke. Zoro stood and they all faced the mound of earth. Robin clapped her hands solemnly, chanting the sutras in her melodic voice as the others followed along. Zoro thought that his own knowledge of the sacred rites would be nonexistent, but found the memory of Kuina's funeral was still fresh in his mind. He chanted along, his eyes closing as he breathed in the scent of the ocean breeze mingling with the incense.

As Robin finished, they all closed their eyes in a moment of silence. The wind blew mournfully, as though in regret at the passing of this man. Zoro knelt and picked up Mihawk's sword, Kokutou Yoru, and held it for a moment before thrusting it firmly into the ground at the head of the grave. The sword quivered for a moment, like a young woman holding back the tears from seeing the death of her beloved. Franky had sealed the sword with some clear liquid that would both preserve it and prevent it from being used by another swordsman.

"There is no other man worthy of wielding this blade," Zoro murmured, running a hand along the smooth handle. He looked down and saw Robin's hands at work, replanting the unearthed flower beds. "I will carry your title with honor." He lingered a moment longer, wondering—what had Mihawk been like, earlier in his life or in his personal life? Did he have family, or friends, or lovers? Where did he learn his swordsmanship?

He knew that there was no point in asking. His duty to the man was finished.

With that, the Mugiwara Crew turned and left.


	43. Leaving the Old World

The Thousand Sunny sailed quietly out of the Spanish port, riding gently on each swell of the waves. The sun was bright, and the day was unusually warm for the progressing autumn, so the entire crew was outside enjoying the weather. It was an idyllic day; after Mihawk's funeral, they had spoken few words save when conferring with merchants about restocking the ship. The Thousand Sunny was now fully stocked and prepared for the long months ahead, for they could not predict whether they would run into land again in time to replenish their stores. Nami and Robin had gone into town for more information about their impending journey, but received few valid bits of information; it seemed as though the locals were used to such young adventurers who were eager to go to the New World, but had never encountered the many crews that passed through this town ever again save for in the form of the occasional plank from a shipwreck or a bloated body on shore.

Zoro snored lightly on the deck, the neatly-cropped grass providing ample cushion even in his injured state. He had gotten an earful from Chopper for opening up some of his stitches while carrying Mihawk, and now was in a forced state of rest.

Well, he would have probably ended up sleeping on deck regardless of whether he was injured or not.

They sailed for weeks, whittling away at the empty stretches of inactivity by fishing to preserve their stocks; sometimes, the non-Devil Fruit users would dive into the sea as the Sunny was anchored to harvest passing kelp forests for seaweed and such, and Sanji would often mockingly profusely apologize to Zoro for 'eating his family.' At other times, they would find themselves dealing more and more frequently with squalls and stormy weather. Zoro finally recovered enough to get Chopper off his back, and spent hours every day working out to sculpt an already chiseled body. Things settled into a normal rhythm, and Zoro found an inner peace that he had not realized that he had lacked.

It was like there was nothing that could go wrong.

---

"Ship spotted!" Luffy called, jumping down from the crow's nest where he had been playing cards with Usopp, Chopper, and Brooke. "There's a ship! Over there!" All four of them pointed wildly in the same general direction.

"Not just 'ship,'" Franky corrected them. "Ships, plural. I can't really tell from this far away, but that definitely isn't just one ship."

"Let me see…" Nami murmured, pulling out a spyglass. "Yes, there definitely is…oh my," she gasped.

"What is it, Nami-san?" Sanji asked worriedly.

"It's a fleet," she whispered, her face pale. "I can't identify the flag from this far, but…that's definitely a Jolly Roger that they're flying. There are at least fifteen to twenty ships, and those are only the front ranks."

"Fifteen to twenty?!" Chopper shrieked, stumbling backward away from the direction of the fleet.

"Is there any way of escaping, Franky?" Usopp asked while frantically running back and forth.

"Why would we want to escape?" Zoro asked, perking up at the prospect of a confrontation.

"Because they're PIRATES! KAIZOKU!" Usopp shouted. "They're dangerous!"

"We're pirates too, Usopp," Zoro replied calmly. His hand slid down to his swords slowly.

"But there are at least twenty times as many of them as there are us!" Usopp protested. "And that's…twenty times the firepower just from the ships, too! Do you know how much damage we could sustain in the time it takes to sink? That's enough time to die a hundred different ways!"

"She won't sink," Franky interrupted. "The Sunny's way sturdier than that."

"Then there's even _more _time to die!"

"Then it's settled," Luffy said resolutely. "We're going to meet them."

"Luffy…!" Usopp objected, a whine coming from the back of his throat. He was not heeded.

The Thousand Sunny sailed forward bravely, and the lion figurehead smiled.

It didn't take long for them to be able to identify the Jolly Roger.

"Hey, I recognize that mark," Luffy exclaimed. "Ace had that tattooed on his back."

There was a collective gasp, and Zoro surged forward to check.

"The Whitebeard Pirates," he whispered.

They saw that the figurehead of the lead ship was in the shape of a whale, and saw that there was no one waiting to greet them by the rails. Luffy stood at the prow of the Sunny with the rest of the crew flanking him and waited, bobbing in the water as though waiting for a signal. Would the pirates attack or parley?

A rather sleepy-looking blond man sauntered up to the railing of the head ship, his skin tanned from long sun exposure. A tattoo resembling Whitebeard's mark was visible under his open shirt, and he looked at the Thousand Sunny lethargically.

"Who might you be, young'uns?" he called. A few other shapes could be seen behind him, although an orange hat was conspicuously missing. Luffy frowned.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Mugiwara Pirates," Luffy yelled back. "Are you the Whitebeard Pirates?"

"Aye," the man replied. "I am Marco, the first division leader. For what reason do you approach us so boldly, Captain Monkey?"

"It's so weird to hear someone call him that," Usopp whispered.

"Is Ace there?" Luffy asked, craning his neck.

"Ace?" Marco looked mildly surprised. "No, he is out hunting a traitor. What business do you have with him?"

Luffy grinned. "He's my brother! Naa, but if he's not here, then there's no point in staying."

"Ah, young man—" Marco's words were cut short by the heavy hand on his shoulder. That hand lead up to the gargantuan figure of Whitebeard himself. His impressively curving white moustache was over a mouth that twisted in disdainful amusement as he looked at the tiny crew. Although his body was robust and strong, they could tell that this man was quite advanced in his years, and that any other man would have succumbed to age long ago.

"You impertinent young pups, what are you doing sailing in this direction?" Whitebeard's voice was deep and rough, and his eyes were powerful despite their indifference. "Lambs like you should not be going to the slaughterhouse that they call the New World. Are you planning on throwing your puny lives away already?"

"Man, talk about arrogant," Sanji muttered under his breath.

Marco turned and conferred quietly with Whitebeard before they could respond, and they seemed to quickly reach the same conclusion.

"Captain Monkey, perhaps it would be more convenient to speak in closer quarters. We cordially invite you to the Moby Dick for a private conference," Marco announced. "Seeing that you're family with one of our brethren, it is only proper."

"Yosh!" Luffy looked around. "Who wants to come with me?"

"I will come," Robin said immediately. "I'm rather interested to see the ship of the greatest living pirate crew of our age."

"I'm not going," Nami, Usopp, and Chopper chorused. "Hell, no."

"I'll stay and protect Nami-swan!" Sanji said. "You better look after Robin-chan, shitty gomu." Franky and Brooke also deigned to stay behind.

"Looks like I'm going," Zoro grumbled. He stretched nonchalantly, but his hands shook slightly and his muscles were tense. "Are we taking the shopping boat?"

"Nah, too slow," Luffy said, pulling his arm back while reaching for Robin and Zoro with the other. "Gomu gomu no—"

"Oh, shi—"

"—Rocket!"

"Wow, it's always more fun to watch when he isn't dragging us along," Sanji noted, puffing on a cigarette.

Their entrance was greeted with little excitement from the senior crewmembers of the Whitebeard Pirates, although the normal crewmembers seemed unnerved by Luffy's ability.

"A Fruit user, huh?" Marco asked, and Luffy nodded. "How interesting. The Gomu Gomu no mi, I presume. I'm surprised that Shanks relinquished it so easily."

"That kid was always irresponsible," Whitebeard grumbled. His eyes fell on the hat perched on Luffy's head. "You. Where did you get that?"

"This?" Luffy's hand went reflexively to his straw hat. "Shanks gave it to me!"

"Pah, that fool. Giving all his prized possessions away, it seems," Whitebeard grunted as he went to sit on a large chair on the deck of his ship that was clearly for his use only. "Sit down, all of you." Luffy ignored the chair that was put out for him and instead chose to sit on the bare wooden deck, cheerfully grinning at the men around him. Robin and Zoro, however, took their seats silently. Robin looked around curiously, and Zoro could tell that she was surreptitiously using her power to explore the ship even if her arms hung by her side. He was tense, but slammed a firm cover of control over his simmering tension; these men would be able to sniff it in an instant.

"Why are you heading for the New World?" Marco asked, leaning against the rail to their left. The three Mugiwara Pirates did not fail to notice the way that Whitebeard's men surrounded them, subtly creating a barricade around them.

Luffy shrugged. "We're looking for adventure. Why else would we be sailing the seas?"

"Don't you know the dangers?" another man asked.

"Dangers?" Luffy asked, blinking owlishly. "Why would that matter?"

Zoro looked at the man who had spoken balefully. "It is courtesy to give one's name before interrogation, is it not?" He spoke coolly, and the other pirates tensed at the hostility in his voice.

The man put a hand up, stopping the other men. "Jozu, third division commander. Who might you two be?"

"I am Nico Robin, the ship's historian and archeologist," Robin replied, smiling pleasantly. "Nice to meet you, Jozu-san."

Zoro stared the man down for a long moment before replying, "Roronoa Zoro, resident swordsman. Formerly Zoro L'Ollonais of the _Forte Rhum_ and once a resident of Shimotsuki. It's nice to see you again." He smiled, and there was no trace of anything but cold amusement in his face.

"'Again'?" some of the crewmembers whispered. The division commanders tensed.

"Green hair, huh?" Marco said softly. "I remember you, kid. I wasn't division commander at the time, but I remember. Jozu, you remember him too, don't you?"

The battle-hardened Jozu nodded. "The whelp that attacked us. Gave us quite a nasty shock, he did. I didn't think he'd live long enough to sting us again."

"My identity is not important at the moment. Please, continue speaking with my captain," Zoro said flatly. "We will settle our business later."

Jozu looked surprised at his audacity, but merely shrugged. "Do you people have no fear of what awaits in the New World?"

"Nope," Luffy said simply. "We can take care of anything that comes our way."

"Bold words for one so inexperienced," Whitebeard retorted. "What do you plan to do upon reaching there, if you do reach it? We are actually not far from the coast."

Luffy snorted, as though it should have been obvious. "I'm going to be the Pirate King, of course! Why else would I be a pirate?"

"Pirate King?" Whitebeard began to chuckle, and then laugh uproariously. "This scrawny kid thinks that he can be the Pirate King! That…that…" He burst into another fit of roaring laughter. "Hey, Jozu, break out the rum. This kid is pretty funny!"

"I'm serious," Luffy retorted stubbornly. "Don't mock me, old man."

Whitebeard uncorked the barrel of rum that was rolled to him, taking a deep draught straight from the barrel. "Hm? Kid, the day that you're one inch closer to the One Piece is the day that you can get past me. The New World is in my control. Let's see…you're Japanese, right? No wonder you're so foolish. Been cooped up on that island of yours your whole life. Kid…go back. There's plenty of adventure to be found in the Old World. Go visit the Poles or something, play around with some polar bears. Don't throw your life away so soon." He took another gulp of drink.

Luffy scoffed, accepting the cup of alcohol given to him and downing it with a gulp. "We'll just have to show you then," he hissed, clutching his throat—apparently, he was not a seasoned drinker. "When we find the One Piece."

Whitebeard merely chuckled into his cup.

Marco stepped forward, seeing that this conversation would go no further without resorting to a conflict. "Roronoa, what business were you speaking of previously?"

Zoro pushed the cup of grog offered to him and instead took a barrel, drinking just as Whitebeard was. He put the greatly-lightened barrel aside with a satisfied smacking of lips and stood, leaning against it with one arm. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten? It has only been ten years, after all."

"Enlighten us," Jozu suggested coldly. "All we know is that you attacked us without provocation as we sat drinking. Our reaction was justified, as you had to be put down."

Zoro snorted. "Without provocation? You…"

Robin slid next to him and whispered, "Remember Ace-kun, Zoro. These men might have been there that night, but do not forget about him."

Zoro froze, his bitter fury twisting with a red-hot guilt in the pit of his stomach. The alcohol soured in his mouth as he remembered the amiable man who had spent that brief period of time with them, yet who had been willing to fight head-on with the Marines to allow them to escape. That laughing face in the midst of battle, innocent with the dusting of freckles but jaded by experience, as naïve as Luffy in some ways but as hardened as Zoro himself at others.

He was a Whitebeard Pirates, second division commander. The stamp he wore proudly on his back was an indelible representation of that fact.

_And he was a damned good man, too_.

_I've already fulfilled one promise to you, Kuina. But this other one…should I let it go?_

"Kuina."

"What was that?" Marco asked suspiciously. "You didn't just curse us in Japanese, did you?"

"No…Kuina," Zoro repeated. "She was the girl who was destined to be the greatest swordsman in the world. Your men _killed_ her."

Marco stared in disbelief. "Our men are on strict orders to not harm any of the civilians that we encounter unless necessary. Are you picking a fight, Roronoa?"

"I'm not picking a fight!" Zoro snarled. "We made a promise, and you…because of you, she reneged on that promise! Do you know how heavy the sword feels when two wield it?" He whipped Wado Ichimonji out, and over two dozen blades or guns were pointed at them the instant he touched the hilt. Luffy and Robin watched silently, not even fazed. "I fulfilled one part of our promise, but I have a posthumous vow with her that I have yet to fill!"

"Do you know who killed your young friend, Roronoa?" Marco asked standing directly in front of Zoro even as the tip of the katana tickled his throat. "Tell me this. Who killed her?"

Zoro stopped. He remembered a dark night, bright lights, a confusing vortex of images and shapes that converged with the mixing of true memories and hallucinations from his delirium after Mihawk's defeat—Kuina at the foot of the stairs, because of a drunken man or because of mere chance when fetching a whetstone. The faces of Whitebeard's men who were far too tall and large for him, whose faces were hidden as they looked down at him. The wave of crimson in his vision as he attacked like a wild boar.

"I…"

They waited patiently.

"…I don't know."

Marco's face softened. "Roronoa, you said that you made two promises to her. She only validated one, didn't she? There is no point if you do not even know who did it. Chances are that the men who did kill her are no longer part of this crew. That night when you went berserk on us, you seemed to target two men in particular. One of those men is already dead, and the other will soon be."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro demanded. His head was still reeling.

Marco shook his head sadly. "You hurled yourself at them wielding those little sticks—shinai, were they?—screaming something about a promise, and a girl. The name might have been Kuina. Fourth division commander Thatch and former Whitebeard Pirate Marshal D. Teach were the ones that you went after. The two of them were…extraordinarily drunk. That is the only reason they were not punished."

"Where are they now?" Robin asked, seeing that Zoro's mouth was clenched tight.

Whitebeard banged his fist on the arm of his chair, startling everyone. His face was twisted with anguish and anger. "Thatch was murdered by Teach after coming into possession of one of the fabled Devil Fruits. Teach ran off with the prize. I sent Ace after him—killing amongst family members is forbidden." He took a deep breath. "Roronoa. Although you may be a brash fool, I can empathize with you."

"Is there any way we can help you fulfill your other promise to her?" Marco proposed.

Zoro smiled grimly, ripping his shirt open ("Oh my," Robin said appreciatively). He pointed at the long scar stretching across his torso.

Whitebeard raised an eyebrow with interest. "A cut like that could only be made by one man. What does this have to do with Mihawk, boy?"

"Our vow was to become the greatest in the world. I have already fulfilled that vow."

Whitebeard hefted a heavy sigh. "So Mihawk is dead, is he? You've improved since our last encounter, it appears." He uncorked another barrel, this time of mead. "Hey, kid," he addressed Luffy. "Looks like you can't be all that helpless then, if this guy serves under you." He waved them off dismissively. "Go ahead."

"Go ahead?" Luffy asked inquisitively.

"Yeah." Whitebeard wiped his moustache with the back of one hand. "Go on to the New World. I don't have any reason to stop you. Shanks's hat, Mihawk's mark…you are all crazy, you know? With this insanity, you just might survive." He grinned. "Reminds me of myself a little. Now git, before I change my mind! You're not far from the coast."

Luffy jumped up, hand stretching out. Instead of ending in a punch, he held it out openly and Whitebeard grasped it in a powerful handshake. They gripped each other's hands fiercely, as though testing each others' strength, and the air trembled with the force of each man's will. Zoro moved quickly to catch Robin as she nearly collapsed, as many of the other men were already doing.

Luffy grinned as they let go at the same time. "Nice to meet you, old man!" he said, grabbing Zoro and Robin. "Let's go! Since we're so close, we'll use the Coup de Burst!" They rocketed off.

"Was that really wise? We've never let anyone we encountered pass before," Marco said to Whitebeard.

Whitebeard merely smirked. "I've been getting bored. We'll go after them if they prove their mettle."

A newspaper dropped onto the deck, courtesy of a messenger bird.

The front page was emblazoned with a depiction of Ace's beaten and bloody face, and captioned by the words _Fire Fist Ace captured!_

A long crack ran down the center of the deck, and even Marco nearly fainted as he struggled to stay upright.

"Ace," Whitebeard growled. "ACE!" He pounded his fist, and the ship shuddered.

"Stop it, dad," Marco gasped, clutching his head. "We've got to tell that kid, Ace's his brother, he has to know—" He staggered to the railing and looked around for the ship. A loud explosion nearly blew him back in his weakened state, and all that was left of the Thousand Sunny was an enormous wave and a spray of cola.


	44. The Trigger

A/N: Son of a Kuina! This series will go on longer than expected!

---

"Did you feel something?" Luffy yelled over the sound of the whistling wind as they flew through the air. "The air…it shuddered."

The others looked at him oddly, shaking their heads. They didn't notice how their grips on the weathered wood were less firm than they usually would be, and they all attributed their light-headedness to the sudden change in altitude.

"Maybe it was just the shaking of the Sunny," Franky suggested, patting the railing with one hand. "She can get pretty violent during the Burst, you know!"

"Wah! I see land already!" Chopper cried gleefully, hopping up and down as he pointed towards the west. They all gathered around the railing to watch the landmass rapidly approaching.

"Er, shouldn't we try to, you know…stop?" Usopp said, paling as the land grew larger at an alarming rate.

"Don't worry! It'll be fine!" Luffy laughed.

"You don't have any basis for saying that!"

"Eek!" Chopper shrieked as they landed in the water just short of the coastal line. The flock of birds—they were of an odd variety, not of a species that Zoro could recognize—that dotted the waves along the shore flew off in a shrill panic of high keening shrieks; their mournful cries matched the gray and cold air of the fall climate, and Zoro shivered. It was easy to forget about the passage of seasons when the Atlantic climate was continuously chilly and stormy, but he had last seen land in the soft transition of summer to fall. It was odd to think of traipsing along land in a fur muffler and such warm vestments.

"See, Usopp? It was all fine," Luffy said reassuringly. "Usopp…?" He slapped the sharpshooter's face none too gently, trying to revive the man who was foaming at the mouth. "Oi, we're here. Wake up!"

"So, this is the New World?" Sanji mused, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep pull. "Doesn't seem as exciting as people said it would be. What concrete information do we have about it?" He looked at Robin expectantly.

She leaned against the deck, taking in the scent of the forest that could be seen further inland; the scent was of spicy pines, although deciduous trees could be seen as well. The sandy beaches were of dark brown, not white, sand; the sparse grassy patches leading from the beach to the forest edge were brown with a few blades of dying green here and there. "It would be impossible to say. Only fabled crews such as Whitebeard's have ever returned, and they relish the amusement found in telling tall tales." She ran a hand through her long, silky hair. "There are stories of natives who range from savage to helpful in temperament, but the only way to find out is…" Her voice faded away as she lifted her face to the wind. "Do you smell that?"

They saw a thin column of smoke rising deep from inside the forest, and the sharp scent of grilling meat and burning tobacco reached their noses. Sanji sniffed delicately.

"This tobacco is not like the one I smoke…it seems rougher," he mused, taking another whiff. "The meat also seems to be rather gamey. Strange spices, but not altogether unfamiliar. Mutton or deer, perhaps?"

"Let's find a good place to sink anchor then," Franky declared, spinning the steering wheel around to guide the Sunny.

"Should we have someone stay behind and keep watch?" Usopp asked, his knees shaking slightly. "I'd be quite glad to volunteer, as dreary as the task might be."

Nami snorted. "Well, it's a good idea, even if the intentions aren't. We don't know who or what could be here. Anyone else interested in staying behind? Usopp alone won't be able to do it."

"Hey!"

"I'll stay," Franky said. "The Sunny needs some patching up anyway. I wonder if those trees have any good lumber?"

"I will stay behind as well," Brooke said, looking out at the forest in trepidation. "It will be good to have a swordsman to complement the defensive forces."

"C'mon, let's go," Luffy whimpered, his fingers twitching in anticipation of a good Gomu Gomu no Rocket. "I can just _smell_ the adventure!"

"That's the meat, Luffy," Sanji snapped as they walked to the tiny dinghy.

"It still smells delicious! Shishishi!"

They landed—Franky waved goodbye as he returned to the ship—and looked around. Luffy jumped up and down expectantly, as though waiting for adventure to just pop out at him. Suddenly, his nostrils widened as he took a heaving breath, and the others tensed. They all knew what was going to happen, but hoped that somehow it wouldn't.

"NIKU!" Luffy roared jubilantly. He had finally caught a strong scent, more powerful than the previously faint wisps. He began to run, and the others sighed as they sprinted to catch up to their nimble captain.

"I swear, that idiot…" Sanji muttered, his sandaled feet slapping across the uneven dirt.

"I'm going to kill him," Nami growled as she gritted her teeth.

They moved through the woods haphazardly (Robin was unofficially in charge of guiding Zoro as she sprouted an arm on his midriff that pointed in the correct direction. He was not amused). Finally, after much sprinting, looping, and wheezing, they found themselves in a clearing in what must have been a point deep in the forest.

The group of men who were gathered around the fire wore fine linen shirts and rough pants over leather boots. They had been laughing and conversing rowdily amongst one another, swinging bottles of liquor around as they cavorted and watched the roasting meat of what appeared to be a deer on an open fire.

"Definitely not natives," Robin commented quietly. The group around the campfire was no longer laughing; instead, they were looking with hostility at the intruders with hands straying to metal swords and guns. "Those weapons could not have been made here, either."

The man who stood appeared to be the captain. His flaming hair was wild and fairly long, but failed to cover a wide mouth that was liable to smiling and a wicked scar across one eye. He wore a long cloak that nevertheless revealed the hilt of a sword and did not hide the missing limb on his left side. His eyes were wide with surprise.

"Luffy?"

Luffy stared hard at the other man, not quite believing his eyes.

"Shanks!"

---

The city streets were filled with a fog so dense one might spin it into cotton candy and eat it. This gray mass was less than friendly to the human body, though—it was comprised of a mix of fog and smoke from nearby chimneys and factories. A tall building loomed in the center of the condensed city, a stark white establishment that stuck out from the neighboring grays and browns of the other buildings.

Past the attentive guards and iron gates, over the long pathway into the looming set of double doors attended by more watchmen, through rooms with marble floors and thick Persian carpets, up five flights of stairs, into a room equipped with a solid oaken table, a delicate crystal chandelier, refreshments and that opened up onto a deck…

"I trust that we are all gathered?" The man sitting at the head of the table, his back to the open window; he was far too wrapped up in the meeting at hand to bother with the dreary weather outside in the London fog. He had a long plaited beard over a thin moustache and round glasses. His attire was that of a high-ranking Marine, and his valor was evident in the medals and elaborate uniform that he wore.

"Sengoku, I don't see any tea."

"Quiet, Garp," Fleet Admiral Sengoku snapped. "We have a meeting to run." The commander of the British Navy as well as the naval forces of the World Government bristled in indignation. He had adopted a Japanese name after visiting Japan for diplomatic reasons and had been dubbed as "the Buddha of the West."

Garp grumbled under his breath, "I don't see any crackers, either…you said there would be crackers…"

Sengoku looked around at the men sitting around the table. "You all know why we are here. This…this pirate crew has become far too much of a danger. Garp! I thought you said you would control the traffic in and out of your country, but your own bloody _grandson_ is giving us hell!"

Garp snorted. "C'mon, Luffy's a good—if misguided—kid. What's the problem?"

"The problem?" Sengoku breathed in deeply, calming himself. The others watched in interest. "The problem is that ever since that man's 'debut,' he has been causing nothing but trouble. Think about it. The Shichibukai were supposed to be the strongest and the most feared in the seas, and to act as a balance of power. But within just a few months of them gaining their titles, this Monkey D. Luffy swoops in and dispatches them!"

"Wasn't that L'Ollonais?" a man asked, leaning back in his chair. He was enormous, but powerfully built. Despite the richness of the room, he wore the rough sackcloth clothing of a man who knows that his clothes will be soiled by his labor and doesn't bother with luxuries. He was the epitome of a rough and tumble pirate as his wide grin revealed missing teeth. "L'Ollonais seems like the bigger threat. He got his bounty first, didn't he?"

"If L'Ollonais follows that man, then Monkey must be a formidable captain indeed to have earned his respect, Teach," Kuma said, folding his hands carefully. "From what I have seen, Monkey is a fierce opponent, and L'Ollonais is far more powerful than even his bounty would reveal."

"How would you know this, Kuma?" another man said. He was not quite a man, really; his webbed hands and fangs, as well as blue skin, indicated that he was definitely not a Homo Sapien. "It sounds as though you have met him before."

"I say nothing, Jinbei," Kuma said calmly.

"L'Ollonais?" One of the only women sitting around the table stiffened slightly. "Who is this…?"

"Ah, of course," Sengoku said, handing her a stack of papers. "These are the bounty posters for that crew. Having joined our ranks just after being released from slavery, it is not surprising that you have not heard of his name, Ms. Hancock."

Boa shuffled through the papers, seeing his fierce face staring back up at her. _The man who saved us,_ she thought anxiously as she struggled to remain impassive. _Roronoa is L'Ollonais?_ "I fail to see any of them as threats," she said coldly, putting the papers aside with a derisive touch. "It hardly seems as though we need this entire congregation to deal with them." She gestured to the gathering of Marines, laughing. "Is the organization that I have joined really so weak?"

Sengoku grimaced. "Ms. Hancock, you are strong, but lacking in experience. Please leave such matters to us. We have received word that he has already made contact with Whitebeard in the Atlantic, and that he has probably already reached the New World. This is disastrous. Garp, he really is related to Portgas?"

Garp lost his playful manner somewhat, and spoke more somberly. "That kid…? Yes, they are brothers…Ace has adopted a different name but they are both truly my grandsons." He sighed slightly.

"If he learns of Ace's execution, then he will undoubtedly try to save him," Sengoku announced. "If he joins forces with Whitebeard's men, then there is no telling what could happen. Because of the Mugiwara Crew, we have lost a great asset to our main fighting force." He ticked off on his fingers. "Crocodile. Donquixote. Moria. Mihawk. I suspect they may have had something to do with our agent in China—Eneru. Because of his fall, we have lost a grip on the Chinese opium trade. Almost all of these men were Fruit users as well. We have been trying to augment our forces with new powers, such as Ms. Hancock here, but we are losing face, gentlemen. Even with the capture of Portgas D. Ace, things will be very difficult."

"What do you propose, then?" a gravelly voice interrupted irritably. Smoker sat with his feet on the table, smoking his usual cigars as Tashigi sat beside him. "Are you just going to talk, or are you going to do something about it, Sengoku?"

Sengoku rubbed his forehead wearily. "We can only hope that the pirates wipe each other out. Since Whitebeard has let Monkey pass into the New World unscathed, we can only assume that he is on his way here as we speak. If Monkey does make it into the New World and tries to establish himself there, then there is one more force waiting to destroy him without any effort on our part. You know how territorial pirates can get."

"Who?" Smoker asked, obviously not believing him.

"He is immensely powerful, and is said to even be able to match Whitebeard in battle. Our spies have lost connection, and I suspect that he may have eliminated them upon reaching the New World," Sengoku replied. "One of the Four Emperors, the Red-Haired Shanks."

---

"Heeeey, Luffy!" Shanks laughed uproariously. "Come join us for a drink! Introduce us to your friends, c'mon, don't be shy!" His face was red with drink, but he was very amiable.

"Shishishi," Luffy chuckled merrily, swinging an arm around the older man and giving him a noogie. "Alright! You recognize everyone, right?"

"My lord," Shanks said, looking with his mouth open. "Is that you, Sanji? And Usopp! Damn, Nami, you've grown into a fine woman—ouch, Sanji, what the hell? Don't beat on your old man!"

"Pervert!"

"Yeah, you're one to talk, dartboard," Zoro said snidely.

Shanks stopped short. "I recognize everyone else, but who is this? A new addition to the family?"

"Yeah! Shanks, this is Zoro, my swordsman. He's so sugee!" Luffy squealed, bringing Zoro closer with a stretched arm. Shanks raised an eyebrow at the name, but continued to smile.

"Nice to meet you, son. Oh," he said, laughing at Zoro's surprised look. "Once Luffy takes you in, you're definitely my kid now. Come on, let's relax a little. Ben! Where's that sake?"

"You were just complaining about a hangover from last night, Captain," Ben said, pulling back a strand of his long, black hair. He was smoking calmly with one hand on the pistol at his belt in a casual gesture of a man who was always at the ready, even when relaxing with _nakama._

Zoro immediately liked him.

"Psh," Shanks snorted. "You old biddy. C'mon, kanpai!"

Zoro could definitely see how this man was the one to have raised Luffy.

---

"Yes," Sengoku said firmly. "Red-hair will definitely eliminate Monkey D. Luffy."


	45. The Summons

A/N: After that last chapter, I seriously did not even know where to start this chapter. Woah. It has been a looong time since I last updated, but it's just been really difficult to finish this story—my mind is already moving on to other stories (I've got Water Sector plus two others already being planned. All long ones).

Thank you for reading and staying faithful!

---

The party was in full swing. Even as the shadows in the forest lengthened and grew thicker, the crackling fire in the clearing was bright and hot enough to combat the falling darkness. Both pirate crews had gathered after Luffy had—through Robin—instructed Franky to bring the Thousand Sunny around to join Shanks's ship. They were singing and dancing, eating and drinking, cheering and cavorting wildly as only pirates can.

As the night wore on and everyone began to succumb to the liquor, they settled down in small groups around the fire and began to talk at a more reasonable volume. The grog flowed freely, and the food was tasty, if lean; with the upcoming winter, Shanks explained, they had to be more careful with their rations.

"So, Luffy! How the hell did a little kid like you get to the New World?" Shanks teased, leaning against his first mate—a quiet man going by the name of Ben—while cradling a cup in his hand. "Japan's still tight as a clam shell, isn't it?"

"Oh, it was easy," Luffy laughed. "We just flew away. Gramps was hoppin' mad, but it was fun. Then, we went to…um…Korea! Yeah! That was weird though, because they tried to kill us, but we met this princess…and then…"

"Oi, is the kid a bit light with his liquor?" Shanks whispered loudly to Zoro, who only chuckled. "I never let him anywhere near the sake after he got his Akuma no Mi power—he might've torn the house apart. His yarns are as good as a drunken sailor's—and as truthful, to boot!"

"Hey! Shut up, Shanks! I'm telling the truth, right, Nami?" Luffy squealed indignantly as Chopper and Usopp fell on the ground, clutching their sides in laughter.

She nodded with a smile. "It may sound unusual, but we really did do all that. Not to mention toppling those Shichibukai and that Chinese guy—"

Ben held up a hand, stopping her. "Did you just say Shichibukai?" He was smiling, but his eyes were serious.

Nami nodded. "Yes…why?"

"What were their names?" As Ben spoke, the other men in Shanks's crew quieted down and watched carefully.

Robin responded, seeing Nami flush in nervousness. "Ben-san, let me take it from here. Nami-chan seems to be quite unnerved by the sudden influx of questions. The ones that we have overthrown are…" She smiled as pleasantly as he did, but her eyes were wary. "Donquixote Doflamingo. Sir Crocodile. Gecko Moria. Juraquille Mihawk." She ticked the names off as she counted on one hand. "Four of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Not bad for a few months of traveling, don't you think?"

Zoro shivered as Shanks's crew looked at them oddly. The fire was no longer a crackling source of warmth and comfort; instead, it seemed to illuminate the craggy faces of the seasoned pirates, and the stern expressions that they now wore. Shanks shook his head, rubbing his chin absently as he surveyed the small crew.

"This is…quite troublesome," he muttered through his teeth, his words making a slight hissing sound as they passed his lips. "For such a young pirate crew to already have caused such turmoil in the world…quite troublesome, indeed."

"What's the matter, Shanks?" Luffy asked, his hand atop the straw hat that he wore in nearly every waking moment of his life.

"It's no good, having two pirate crews like this in the New World," Ben replied, putting his tankard down and moving to sit in front of Zoro and Shanks did likewise with Luffy. "Even having Whitebeard around had been a strain on our resources. Luckily, he is busy doing what he calls 'thinning the herd'…"

"Something's not right," Franky whispered, to no one in particular.

"What the hell is going on?" Sanji demanded, instinctively moving in front of Nami.

---

"Are we summoning everyone, dad?"

"Yes. Tell those damned pups that this is _war."_

Marco nodded in that sleepy manner of his, quickly jotting down notes to be tied to the legs of messenger pigeons and barking orders for the Den Den Mushi to be prepared.

---

"We're going to settle this New World style," Shanks barked, standing in front of Luffy with a frown on his face. Luffy rose to meet his challenge, crackling his knuckles menacingly. "This is no game for the weak of heart, Luffy."

"What's that, Shanks?"

Shanks stepped forward forcefully and held out his hand, arm up. Luffy grasped it firmly, mimicking his stance. They stared each other down and gripped the others' hand fiercely; their fighting aura crackled in the air, subduing the fire and making the leaves on the trees shiver with the pirates watching. Zoro felt the hairs on the nape of his neck tensing, while the weaker members of the crews shuddered violently.

"New World wrestling!" Shanks roared, his arm moving to slam Luffy into the ground. Luckily, Luffy's flexibility and reflexes saved him as his arm stretched and hit the ground. "Oh. Wow."

Luffy snorted. "Yeah, this isn't going to work, Shanks. That was dumb."

Shanks stared as he wiggled the rubbery arm in his grasp. "Oh…I forgot about that. You made it all this way even while being a hammer?" Luffy nodded, and Shanks clapped him on the back. "Nice! Get us another round of grog here!"

"…what the hell was that about?" Zoro grumbled, scratching his neck as he looked at Shanks oddly. Ben smiled slightly.

"We were testing Luffy's Haki," he explained. "Quite impressive, to be able to stand up to our captain like that. Most men would have succumbed to the first wave after having it directed at them."

"What's Haki?" Luffy asked curiously, scratching himself all over. "Man, it itches _everywhere!"_

Shanks laughed—he was the sort of person who seemed to enjoy laughing, long and heartily—as he slapped Luffy across the back. "Looks like you just might survive this New World of ours!" he roared, pulling Luffy into a neck-hold and rubbing his head roughly. "Your crew's pretty strong, too, although your lovely navigator looks a bit squeamish. The kid with the nose isn't looking too good either. Oi! Yasopp, that's your kid, eh?"

Usopp looked up in surprise. "I was brought up with Luffy, Shanks. What're you talking about?"

Shanks stopped short. "Oh…er…sorry Yasopp, looks like the secret is out."

The man polishing his rifle sighed heavily; it was only at this point that they realized that he had been staring at Usopp with a riveted gaze. "Damn you, Shanks," he grumbled under his breath. "C'mere, son." He gestured to Usopp.

Usopp sat shock still. "W-what are you talking about…?" he stammered, but followed with surprising obedience as Ben and Shanks nudged him forward.

"Talk to him. He'll explain," Ben said gently. "Good job, captain. Way to just drop it on the poor lad."

As Usopp was led to the edge of the clearing to speak quietly with Yasopp, Zoro turned to look at the rest of the Mugiwara Crew in surprise. "He really did grow up with you, right?"

"Yes. He joined our family after Sanji," Shanks mused. "But the circumstances under which we acquired him are not for me to tell. He may, if he feels up to it. So, you really beat four Shichibukai then? With this Haki resistance, it's no surprise." He tapped his chin. "You mentioned Mihawk. Did you beat him, Luffy?"

"No. That was Zoro," Luffy said, ignoring Zoro's motions as he shook his head vehemently. "Baka, how are you going to claim the title of the world's greatest if you don't tell anyone?"

Shanks stiffened again, this time casting a sharp eye upon Zoro. His hand gripped his waistband tightly, as though he was itching to reach for his sword. "Now, what's this you're talking about Luffy? World's greatest?"

"Yup," Luffy said proudly. "World's greatest swordsman now. He's in my crew. Isn't that sugee? I told you I'd get a good crew!"

"Oh, that's very interesting," Shanks said as he nodded. "So, how'd you do it, boy? A shot to the head from a thousand feet away, a drop of poison in his drink? There's no way that Mihawk would have fallen for something that simple anyway, but there is no way that a rascal like you could have beaten him. Fess up, boy, what dastardly trick did you use?" Shanks's questions fell way from a friendly bout of questions to a roar. "Tell me, you fool!"

Zoro half-rose, his hands instinctively reaching for his swords. "You may be Luffy's father, but I won't let _anyone_ dare to accuse me of using such cowardly methods. Poison, or bullets? I only needed my blades, and even then I was hard-pressed to defeat him!" he snarled. He pointed to his chest. "Every scar I bear is testament to the work I put into defeating this man!" Zoro felt a droplet of sweat trickling down his brow, his own spirit fighting against some great power forcing its way onto his consciousness. _Haki, _he reminded himself. _This spirit is called Haki._

The sword that was suddenly in Shanks's good hand was out faster than the eye could follow, and its path could only be registered when Zoro blocked it with Wado Ichimonji. The air trembled as the two swordsmen glared at each other.

"Shanks! What are you doing?" Luffy objected, and would have risen had Ben not stopped him.

"Luffy. We met this man Mihawk on our travels," Ben said quietly.

"Yeah," Lucky Roo added, gnawing on his ever-present hunk of meat as he patted his rotund belly. The firelight glinted off of his glasses. "He and the cap'n hit it off real fast…that is, after they stopped trying to kill each other. They were friendly rivals, and the cap'n's not known for being weak even while missing an arm."

"Luffy, get back! Tell everyone to get back!" Zoro shouted, one hand moving to grasp Sandai Kitetsu. The Mugiwara Crew immediately drew away from the two men.

"You know the drill, boys," Shanks hissed through gritted teeth, his feet firmly planted on the earth to keep his footing. His crew followed suit.

The sound of clashing swords could be heard, but no one could tell where the blades were meeting—suddenly Shanks was slashing and needling more quickly than a woodpecker, and Zoro had three swords out without hesitation and was giving as good as he got.

_This is madness,_ Zoro thought angrily. _What the hell is this man thinking?_

Another resounding clash, and the two men were face-to-face.

"I haven't seen anyone match blades with Shanks for a while," Yasopp mused. He had returned with one arm around a silent Usopp's shoulders. "This will be over soon."

Suddenly, Shanks grinned and began to laugh. "Swords down, boy. This match is over."

Zoro nodded. He had felt something in that man's blade—it was an intense pressure, as though he were facing a demon. This skirmish would only end in a bloody draw. "Fine," he spat. "Why did you attack me?"

Shanks shrugged, sheathing his blade. "To see if you really could beat Mihawk. You pass, lad."

"I pass," Zoro repeated in disbelief. "You're damned right about that. I would have beaten you, given a bit more time."

Shanks snorted, but was interrupted when they heard a sound from the edge of the camp.

_Geru geru. Geru geru._

"It's the Den Den Mushi," Shanks drawled. "Is anyone going to pick it up?"

"Only one man has that number, now that the other is dead," Yasopp said somberly. "And he would not call for any frivolous reasons."

The men were astonished to see a trail of arms materialize on the forest ground and carry the Den Den Mushi to Shanks. "I believe it is for you," Robin said with a smile, sitting easily with her chin in her hand.

Shanks raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further. "Moshi moshi?" he said slowly after picking up the receiver. "This is Shanks. What do you want, old man?"

"_Shut up and listen,"_ a harsh voice barked from the receiver.

"Whitebeard?" Sanji said in astonishment.

"_What dad means,"_ Marco's voice interrupted, _"is that there is a matter of grave importance, and that this is no idle call."_

"For something of such 'grave importance,' you're taking your time saying it," Shanks snapped. "Hurry up. I have young'uns to talk to."

"_What?" _Whitebeard was on again. Another voice was speaking quietly in the background. _"Quiet, Marco. I can't hear. Young'uns, you say? You're not talking about that Monkey brat are you? Shanks, he's your whelp, isn't he! Teach him some manners, you idiot!"_

"_Dad…"_

"_I'll get to it, Marco. Shanks. There's a problem in the Old World. I hate to say this, but…you need to get your ass back. Leave the New World for a few months." _Whitebeard's voice was irritated at the fact that he was asking this of Shanks, albeit in a demanding way.

"What are you talking about? We're this close to finding—"

"_The One Piece won't mean anything if the World Government succeeds!" _Whitebeard roared. The Den Den Mushi shook with the force of it. _"They have Ace, damnit! He's going to be executed, and I need every pirate worth his salt to show them that they can't just do what they want!"_

"Well, they kinda can," Shanks said slowly and lazily. Zoro could tell that he was trying to needle Whitebeard, but could see his fists shaking in fury. "They're the World Government, after all. How'd they catch him?"

"_It's that bastard, Teach. He caught Ace. There are three reasons for you to fight, and he's one of them. His date of execution is in two months, to allow all those stupid bureaucrats to get to England in time for the execution. You know why they're doing this, and if you want there to be a New World to take over then you'll join the cause. I can't let another one of my sons die in the hands of that traitor, Shanks."_ Whitebeard's last words were filled with malice and traces of heartache uncharacteristic of the old man.

"Ace?" Luffy demanded, leaning forward to listen. "What is he talking about, Shanks?"

"_Read the next newspaper that reaches you,"_ Marco advised. _"Dad, you're going to break our last Den Den Mushi. If you leave now, you just might make it in time. If the World Government succeeds…"_

Luffy rose, putting his hat on his head and turning to his crew. "You guys…" he began, his voice quiet and unsteady. "I know that we're here at our destination, the one that we've been aiming at for months, but—I can't let him die."

The clearing was silent, save for the popping of a log on the fire.

"_Well?"_ Whitebeard asked impatiently. _"Looks like we have another rookie on our side. Are you coming or not?"_

Shanks shrugged with a snort. "Might as well. Those natives aren't giving us any information about the One Piece right now, and they're the only ones that might know where it is. Ready to set sail again, men? I know how you've missed the sea and her gentle cradle."

"Gentle? In the midst of winter on the Atlantic?" Ben said incredulously but rising nonetheless. "What the hell. Can't let your kid die, can we?"

"So, guys?" Luffy asked. His voice was pleading with them, but seemed to say that he would understand if they refused. "Are you in?"

Nami stood to stand beside him. "Of course. You'll never find your way back without me," she said with a wink. The beri signs in her eyes were fading and were replaced by a soft glow. One by one, the rest of the crew stood to stand beside Luffy.

"You'll starve without me, and I can't let Robin-chan or Nami-san go without me to protect them," Sanji said with a goofy grin. "Marimo?"

"Zoro?" Luffy looked at his first mate at last. "He's part of Whitebeard's crew, so if you don't—"

"Knucklehead, of course I'm coming," Zoro grumbled, slapping Luffy across the back. "If he's my captain's brother and kin of the head of the Mugiwara Clan, then he's kind of family to me too isn't he? Plus," Zoro added, looking thoughtful, "Whitebeard was right. The pirating powers will falter slightly if Ace is executed—pirates will lose a small bit of nerve. Just enough to give the World Government a little more leverage. But…fuck, I can't believe we're going back after sailing for weeks just to get here. We should have chilled at Mihawk's place for a few months or something."

"We're all coming," Shanks informed Whitebeard through the Den Den Mushi. "Are the other nine of the Eleven…?"

"_Law has been giving me some trouble, but the rest have given their word. We're going to amass the greatest force in the world to give the New World a chance. I will see you in a few months, then. Meet us at the Pirate's Summit."_ The Den Den Mushi clicked and went prone as Whitebeard hung up.

"Get ready to stock the ships. We leave in two days," Shanks ordered. "Luffy. I trust that your ship will need supplies and time for repairs as well?"

"Yes," Sanji, Nami, and Franky interrupted as Luffy tilted his head quizzically. "We'll need all of those."

"Yosh," Luffy said half-heartedly, with his mind obviously on other things. "We're…going back."

Zoro couldn't help but feel that he'd been cheated as he gazed into the unknown depths of the American forests.


	46. The Plan

Zoro stared out at the frigid sea and wondered how things had turned out this way. The atmosphere was somber, and they had been sailing for weeks alongside Shanks's ship. In the distance, they occasionally saw other ships far off in the distance sailing in the same general direction, but the wintry weather meant dense fogs and reduced visibility that meant that they never crossed paths with these other ships; it was impossible to see whether they were friends or foes. He sighed, leaving a misty condensation on the crow's nest window as he leaned down to the ladder and yelled,

"Ahoy! Fog ahead, Nami! What should we do?"

Nami poked her head out of the galley and looked at the approaching mass of fog.

"Don't worry about it. As long as we stay parallel with the other ship, we should be fine," Nami said, jerking a thumb at the ropes connecting the two ships. "Just stay on watch."

Zoro stared gloomily out the window and grunted in understanding. "Alright. I'll call you if anything's up." As he continued to stare out the window, he heard a pair of feet tapping the rungs up to the crow's nest as someone clambered up to the crow's nest. A long nose over round eyes peered at him as Usopp peeked into the room.

"Can I come in?" he asked quietly. Zoro nodded, and Usopp took a seat against the wall opposite to Zoro. "Thanks."

Zoro looked sidelong at the sniper and nodded curtly. Usopp had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since speaking to Yasopp, and Zoro noticed that he had been avoiding the rest of the crew. He waited, not wanting to pry but ready to listen if Usopp wanted to talk.

And talk, he did.

"Zoro," Usopp began, putting his head in his hands, "My dad's…" He stopped, and began again. "He abandoned me, you know. Well, he left me in Shanks's care, so he didn't really abandon me, but…he slipped through the Japanese border to keep in contact with Shanks. He's Portuguese, not Japanese, which kind of explains why I don't look like everyone else…but I guess Shanks met him a long time ago. He would go on these business trips for months at a time and leave us in Aunt Makino's care, and apparently he'd sneak in and out of the country as a smuggler. I never knew that Banchina was my ma, but she was always around helping Aunt Makino take care of us. She…she fell ill and died while we were young, though," Usopp whispered sadly. "Yasopp—my da, I guess—knew that it'd be bad if he stuck around, and he knew he couldn't take care of a kid."

Zoro nodded, not saying a word. Usopp looked up with an odd expression on his face.

"The others don't know anything, you know. About this, or about their own parents. Shanks might know, but…Luffy's the only one who knows anything about his family, and that's just his grandpa and brother," Usopp said. "Sanji and Nami were probably born the same way as I was, from pirating parents. Zoro, did you know your parents? Did they miss you when you left, and did you find them again?"

There was a long pause as Zoro mulled over the question. "I never really had any family. I just remember it being me, Kuina, and her father. I must have had family at some point, since I know my own surname, but…I think I wandered down from Miyako Island."**

"The penal colony?"

"Yep." Zoro pointed to his ankles, and Usopp peered closely at them.

His eyes widened. "Those…are those tattoos?" Usopp asked, examining the blue lines masked by dark skin and a mess of scar tissue. "It's hard to see, because it's so badly scarred. What on earth…?"

"They indicate that I was in prison. I don't remember getting them so I must have been really young—they were probably branding me to make sure I couldn't get far—and when I realized what they meant, I tried to slice them off," Zoro said with a crooked grin. "That wasn't the smartest move. I almost crippled myself, and Kuina laughed for weeks after I was healed."

"Wow," Usopp said in a hushed voice. "You did this to yourself?"

"Yeah. I didn't want people to start harassing me if they found out about it," Zoro explained. "Turns out that the scarring made it more noticeable, so that backfired. But Usopp, what's been eating at you? It can't be just because Yasopp is your old man, can it?"

Usopp rubbed his nose as he tried to formulate an answer. "I was always proud to be a Mugiwara, you know. We all were."

"Are," Zoro corrected him. "You all are proud Mugiwaras."

Usopp snorted. "I'll have to take my da's last name now, since I'm not really a part of the family anymore."

"Shut up."

Usopp looked up in alarm. "What?" He squeaked as Zoro leapt on him, pinning him under a heavy body and a strong vice-like grip to his throat.

"I said, shut up. Stop this stupid thread of thought that seems to be looping around that head of yours, longnose!" Zoro hissed. "Not a part of the family? None of you are related by blood! It didn't seem to matter before, so why does it matter now? This man, Yasopp, is your dad only in the sense that he helped you come into the world. Who was the one who raised you, who were the ones who lived with you and that you grew up with?" Usopp looked up in astonishment as he saw Zoro's eyes glistening with something that looked suspiciously like held-back tears. "You grew up in such a damned nurturing environment with a family that's made up of the biggest and friendliest weirdoes in the whole world. You've had the honor of calling yourself a Mugiwara! Savor it, hang onto it you fool!" Zoro threw him back and retreated to a couch.

"Zoro…" Usopp began, massaging his throat gently. "We…you're still part of the family too, you know."

Zoro didn't give any answer save to grumble, "I'll always be the outsider. You're lucky, to have grown up with a real family. Just…go."

Usopp nodded and retreated to the galley.

His stories began to flow with a renewed gusto, but the rest of the crew didn't fail to notice the addition of a valiant knight wielding three swords to his tall tales.

---

"Oy, Nami! The fog's clearing up!" Zoro yelled. "I think I see…land-ho!"

Everyone rushed out to squint through the fading mists and saw the looming landmass.

"That's…that's not England," Nami murmured, checking her maps. "Shanks! Where have you taken us?"

Shanks leaned over the railing of his ship to look down at her. He grinned cheekily, spreading his arms wide.

"Ho, lads and lasses, welcome to the Pirate's Summit!"

"The Pirate's Summit?" they chorused in disbelief. Indeed, they could see the flags flapping proudly in the harsh wind were all black and bore distinct Jolly Rogers. It didn't take long for them to identify that most of the ships were from Whitebeard's forces.

"Aye," Ben confirmed as he stood by his captain. "It's quite hard to navigate in these parts, so this little island is safe from most intruders. It's been a haven for pirates for centuries, and can survive anything that the world throws at us—storms, sieges, or any other trouble."

"We'll talk more about it later," Shanks said. "We've got to go pay our respects to the big man or he'll start to fuss and whine. Whitebeard's such a drama queen." The two ships navigated carefully through the clusters of ships and rocks that surrounded the island, and Zoro could see that most of the ships were empty save for a few watchmen here and there who stared with open hostility at the new arrivals. Shanks saw Zoro glaring right back and reassured him that no harm would come to them. "When Whitebeard tells you to band together and form an army, you stick together," he said. "No one will attack you completely devoid of provocation yet."

They found that the ships were connected in large chains to a number of docking areas, and that although Whitebeard's was the largest and closest to the island's main entrance, there was a sizeable space allotted for Shanks's use indicated by his Jolly Roger painted on a sign on a post beside Whitebeard's.

"You young'uns stick with us," Yasopp said as he pointed to Shanks's docking area. "The other rookies usually have to scrounge for a spot in one of the unmarked docks or link to other ships and cross over the water that way, but you get the special privilege of being only one ship from shore."

The island itself was barren at this time of year but showed signs of fertility in warmer weather in the shape of naked trees and brown tufts of grass and bushes dotted everywhere. They walked up a well-beaten path to a monolith of a building that looked to be merged with the landscape itself.

"Was this place carved out of the rock?" Franky asked curiously.

"No one is entirely sure," Lucky Roo replied. "It looks like there was a natural cave that someone just built upon, though—the tunnels, hallways, and rooms are only partially man-made. The center of the island even has a large agricultural space that's sheltered from the elements. All year round, produce can be found growing there, even when no one tends to it."

They walked for a while, not meeting anyone else, until they came to a large cavern lit by slits on the walls and torches stuck into cracks in the rocks. They found a veritable horde of pirates gamboling wildly, although the atmosphere was as thick and as tense as a strained jelly.

"This is the main area," Shanks said. "You won't find any of the captains here, though. They're all meeting in the Officer's Chamber. I'm afraid you'll all have to stay here except for Luffy. Well, actually, Luffy has the option of bringing his first mate along. That's you, isn't it, Zoro?"

Shanks, Ben, Luffy, and Zoro walked off, leaving the rest of the crew to fend for themselves in this madness and chaos.

A beer bottle smashed into a thousand pieces on the wall as a drunken pirate ambled up to them, holding another half-filled bottle. "Ey, I haven't seen yer faces around," he said languidly, waving his bottle and Nami and Robin. "Oi, missies! Want a night of fun with the ol'—" His words were cut off as Sanji's foot connected with the bridge of his nose, creating a satisfying crunching sound.

The room went quiet as the man's harsh yelp pierced the air. Sanji looked around coolly at the sudden hostility aimed at them.

"Saaaaanjiiii," Usopp whined in the back of his throat, looking as though he had a bad case of I-can't-enter-this-island-full-of-scary-pirates. "Why'd you have to do that?"

Sanji pulled out a cigarette and lit up, taking a deep breath while ignoring Usopp. "Any other losers want to show any disrespect to my ladies?" he growled, his leg practically shimmering with the heat and intensity of his spirit.

A loud roar met his challenge as the pirates began to indiscriminately brawl, releasing all the pent-up tension that they had been enduring after being ordered by their (absent) captains to behave.

"You suck, Sanji," Usopp howled as he pulled out his slingshot and began to shoot for dear life.

---

"Did you hear something?" Zoro asked as they walked down the twisting tunnels. "I could have sworn I heard someone yelling and doing something idiotic."

The others shook their heads. "It's probably just the normal tomfoolery," Shanks said. "Hup, here we are. The Officer's Chamber."

They found themselves in a much smaller and room with a large round table surrounded by stone chairs. Most of the spaces were already full, but there were pairs of seats available here and there.

"It's about time," Whitebeard grumbled from the head of the table. Shanks sat across from him, and Luffy moved to sit between the two megapowers.

"We came as quickly as was convenient," Shanks replied with a smirk. "Not everyone is willing to drop everything on your whim, old man." Whitebeard bristled, but was stopped when Marco put a hand on his arm.

Whitebeard heaved a heavy sigh. "Now that everyone is gathered, you know why I have summoned you, correct?"

Everyone nodded, but Luffy simply stated, "Nope. No idea."

Whitebeard twitched slightly before grumbling and waving a hand. "You do this, Marco. I can't deal with this brat right now."

"Alright, Captain Monkey," Marco began. "You know about the balance of powers in the world, I trust?"

"Um…" Luffy tilted his head.

"Yeah," Zoro picked up. "Damn, this is why we need Robin around. So it's like how the Shichibukai and the World Government oppose the pirates, right? And the Yonkou?"

"Very good," Marco nodded. "The World Government is set on taking over the New World. We have managed to set our roots there before they have, but if they manage to execute Ace then we will lose both a great fighting asset and a symbol of our cause. He is…well-loved among pirates and civilians alike, after all."

"What do you plan to do, then?" The speaker was an Italian man; he looked like the typical mobster, with a shade of stubble on his chin and a cigar hanging from one mouth as he stroked his three-piece suit.

"Capone Bege, correct?" Marco asked as the other man nodded. "We have assembled some of the most powerful pirates in the world to show the World Government just what happens when they touch one of our brethren."

"The execution is to be in three days," Whitebeard growled. "Ace is being transported from Siberia as we speak, and will arrive on his date of execution. When he is being transferred to the execution platform, we will strike. The city…is London," he said, tossing a pile of scrolls onto the table. Luffy grabbed two and brought them over, and Zoro could see the city inscribed in great detail on the paper, with several sections inked in varying colors. On the back, he could see several names assigned to each color, similarly to how the Egyptian raid had been planned. "The execution will be in the center of the city…"

They talked long into the night, planning and discussing various factors and problems that might arise.

---

**: Some people may recognize this as the hypothesized home of Mugen from Samurai Champloo, who shares the same seiyu as Zoro (Kazuya Nakai).


	47. Execution

A/N: Ah, Primefan! That was a sugee review! Yes, the Pirate's Summit was supposed to evoke images of POTC. I think I'll bring it back in again later (in the manga it's not an actual place, correct, but wouldn't it be cool if it was?). You got a lot of your hypotheses and speculations spot on.

---

"What the _hell_ happened here?" Whitebeard's roar of fury tore into the still air of where the captains had left their crews to relax and wait.

What they found now was a mess of broken furniture, shards of broken glass, and mounds of unconscious pirates.

The captains immediately strode forward to locate their crews. Luffy ran around calling out the names of the Mugiwara Crew, and was relieved to find them leaning against an overturned table. Sanji was smoking nonchalantly as Franky sipped on a bottle of cola. Usopp, Nami, and Chopper were huddled together while looking around frantically, and Brooke and Robin were keeping watch.

"You guys, what happened?" Luffy asked as he looked them over for any signs of injuries. Apart from a few bruises and cuts, they seemed to be all right.

"Well—" Sanji began, taking a deep puff, but was stopped when Nami's fist threw him off balance.

"I'll tell you what happened," she hissed furiously. "This _idiot_ picked a fight and set off this whole damned brawl! Do you know how hard it is to set off a Thunderbolt Tempo without worrying about whether your own crew is in the way in all the chaos?" She continued to rant and rave, alternately smacking Sanji and yelling. She finally stopped, puffing slightly.

"Well, it looks like you held out well anyways," Luffy said as he scratched his nose. "Good job."

"MUGIWARA!" Whitebeard snarled, coming over to confront Luffy. "Your crew. Your crew was the one that started this. You would instigate such conflict in the days before your own brother's execution?" He spat on the ground. "How the hell do you think we're going to do this if all our forces are reduced from within? The point of this was to give a show of numbers, you fool!"

Luffy looked at Whitebeard with his finger still firmly lodged in his nose. Then, he shrugged. "If they can't recover from a little fight like this in a few days then they wouldn't have been of much use anyway," Luffy said, nonplussed.

Everyone stared, waiting for Whitebeard's reaction.

Whitebeard stroked his moustache (since he doesn't have a BEARD) and suddenly began to chuckle.

"Shanks, your kid might be an idiot, but he makes a good point. Everyone, get your own men patched up—I'm sure you all have your own doctors—and go to your lodgings. If anyone dares to seek retribution for this little fight then they answer to me on trial of mutiny. Understood?"

There were grumbles of consent and "Aye-aye, captain."

"Good. Marco, take these brats to their quarters."

---

"Sorry, Luffy." Sanji stubbed his cigarette out on the rock walls as they settled down. Loaves of hard bread and a cauldron of hot soup were waiting for them, compliments of Whitebeard's chefs. "I just couldn't let them treat Nami-san and Robin-chan like that, and they wouldn't have left us alone anyway. They were too restless."

Luffy laughed. "Shishishi, don't worry about it! It's good that you got this excess energy out, or something could've gone wrong on the big day. Now that they're more relaxed, they'll be able to concentrate." He nodded sagely. "By the way, we got a couple of maps showing us what to do. Here." He tossed one of the maps to Nami, who spread it out eagerly on the table.

"So this is what London looks like from overhead," she mused. "Quite a big city, really. I wonder whether this will really work. They're bound to have tightened security."

"We're setting sail for London tomorrow morning," Zoro said. The details had been drilled into their heads until even Luffy could recite it by heart. "Most of the lower crewmembers of the larger crews have already disseminated into the city, and the rest of us will enter through different parts of the city after docking in neighboring towns. We're assigned to West Sussex, and then we'll travel through Surrey to London from the south. If we move quickly, it shouldn't take more than a day."

"They already have horses waiting for all of us," Luffy said. "That's a lot of horses, huh? Even the daimyo didn't have this many. Ace…he's supposed to be decapitated when the big clock in the middle of the city strikes noon."

"Aren't we cutting the time a little finely?" Nami asked worriedly. "It looks like we'll just barely make it in the nick of time."

Zoro shook his head. "If we get there any earlier, then they'll get suspicious and might change something. We can't risk that."

"Yeah," Luffy agreed. "Whitebeard questioned a bunch of Marines that he caught, and they all gave the same information."

"Let's eat, before the soup gets cold," Sanji suggested. "I wish I could have made dinner, but this will have to do."

They ate silently and retired to bed, all silently anxious.

No one said a word about the worry lines on Luffy's face, or the way he swung between an unnatural cheerfulness and quiet brooding.

---

"See you later, Shanks!" Luffy yelled as they sailed off. All the ships were going in different directions, and Shanks had been assigned to a different part of the city.

"Later, kiddoes!" Shanks yelled. "Don't get killed before the real action starts, you hear?"

"He must have been a very interesting father," Zoro said to no one in particular. Robin laughed when she heard this.

"Oh, I can't remember how many times I had to rescue open sake bottles from the clutches of the younger ones," she said with a chuckle. "His intentions are good, but the children wouldn't have survived without us women to watch the children more closely."

"I was there too," Franky piped up defensively.

"Franky, do you remember the first time you tried to make cola?"

Franky suddenly walked off, saying something about 'checking the ship's interior.'

"Do you have blackmail on _everyone?"_ Zoro asked curiously. Robin smiled, and her nonresponsive expression was answer enough.

They sailed onward. The sea was oddly calm for a winter day, but Nami shook her head when asked about the weather.

"Do you see those dense, dark clouds on the horizon? There's very little wind right now, but you can see them moving quickly," she said, licking one finger and holding it up. "The breeze is easterly. The storm might hit us in the midst of the raid, but I'm not sure…just, be prepared. It's a good thing that the weather calls for these cloaks, because it'll help us to stay inconspicuous."

It took one day to sail as predicted, with the aid of the winding blowing in the right direction off the Atlantic. They found that West Sussex was a pleasant piece of countryside, and that the pastoral life was only complemented by the occasional castle the spotted from the coastline. The people were peaceful, and didn't seem to mind the pirate ships sailing into their harbor. The stables were already informed of their arrival, and the Mugiwara Pirates continued forward with the On Air pirating crew under Captain Scratchmen Apoo. They were a strange bunch, having traveled from the southernmost tips of Africa to the deepest parts of China.

"Hey Mugiwara," Scratchmen Apoo called, "You ready for this?"

Luffy nodded. "Yeah. We'll get there by the execution with an hour or so to spare, right?"

Scratchmen nodded. "Yeah, that's right. You hit up the western edge of Surrey and we'll get da eastern. That sound good?"

"Yeah!" They whipped their horses into galloping speed.

"Luffy! Why are we galloping?" Nami shrieked as she clung to her brown spotted gelding for dear life. "The horses won't last like this!"

He laughed hysterically as he felt the wind rushing through his hair. "It's a man's romance to gallop off like this on a mission, Nami!" he yelled back. Still, he heeded her warning as he knew that they would never make it in time if they exhausted their steeds.

---

Nine pirates galloped into London from the southwestern edge of the city. No one would be able to tell from looking at them; with the wind picking up and the dark clouds everyone was forced into storm garb for the impending execution. The fact that these nine figures wore long cloaks that covered their bodies and faces was not unusual.

Their steeds were left in a stable, and no one noticed the gold that passed from hand to hand to silence the stable workers.

They made their way quietly to the center of the city, and Usopp peered to the northwest with his spyglass.

"The clock—Big Ben, do they call it?—says that we have half an hour. There isn't much time."

They ran.

The crowds became denser here as both locals and foreigners came to watch the spectacle. Zoro kept his eyes on Luffy as they ran, dodging spectators by pure instinct to avoid losing his way. They were so close to where the execution would be taking place.

Big Ben chimed the quarter hour.

"There are a lot of Marines here," Chopper whimpered softly as he trotted alongside them. "How are we going to get out of here?"

"We all have our parts to play," Zoro said. "We were only told to get as close as possible and to wreak havoc in order to let Ace escape."

"We seem to be good at that, at least," Sanji grumbled as he flicked his spent cigarette into a sewage drain.

They stopped talking when they came in sight of the execution platform. Luffy gasped when he saw Ace leaning over on the platform. Dried blood ran down his face, and Ace had no way of making the situation better because his hands were cuffed in heavy white manacles.

"Seastone," Robin whispered.

There was a barricade of Marine officers all around, and Zoro thought he saw a flash of red-rimmed glasses and a few cigars smoking as they edged closer to the middle.

The wind was picking up, and everyone moved to pull their clothing more tightly around their faces. Zoro watched the Marines carefully.

_They're tense. They don't know what will happen, where Whitebeard is, whether they'll live to see the next day…_

Big Ben was on the other end of the city, but Zoro could have sworn that he could hear the seconds ticking by.

"You all know the signal, right?" Luffy murmured, and everyone nodded.

They could see many other similarly garbed figures waiting amongst the civilians.

Waiting.

As the second hand hit the mark for five minutes until noon, a great discord screeched through the air as the sound of a trumpet was blasted to be heard for miles around. Scratchmen Apoo had done his job.

Now, it was time to do theirs. The Marines were already drawing their weapons, but it was too late. Nami smiled as she looked at the dark storm clouds looming overhead.

"Excellent, I don't even have to worry about making my own clouds," she said eagerly. "Thunderbolt Tempo!" Her aim was careful and true as it dispatched a large number of gun and sword-wielding Marines. Zoro whipped out his swords and began to slash at the Marines, noting who was running away and who was attacking them. He was shocked to feel a wave of spirit—was it Haki?—emanating from Luffy as his captain went insane. Rubbery fists flew everywhere as Luffy frantically let loose in his desire to free his brother.

"ACE!" Luffy screamed.

Zoro stared as the Marines who were trying to surround him were suddenly decapitated mid-yell. They all stared at one another, the Marines obviously at a loss as to why they were still alive.

"The Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law," a voice said behind Zoro. He turned around and saw a woman with her arms up; behind her were infants and elderly men, both crawling around and bawling helplessly. "He's quite a nasty man, playing around with his victims like that. I'm—" She ducked as Zoro dispatched the Marine who had been trying to sneak up on her. "—Bonney. Jewelry Bonney." She grinned. "You fight like a devil. Roronoa Zoro, right?"

"Less talk," he grunted. "We'll chat after Ace has been rescued."

"Oh, him?" she said dismissively. "I'm sure Whitebeard…where is that old man, anyway?"

The answer came in a deafening roar as Whitebeard swung his spear around as he fought against a man bristling with lacy trails of ice.

"An Admiral?" Bonney swore softly. "Glad I'm not fighting him."

There was another shockwave as Luffy locked his fists against Smoker's jutte. Smoker's body was billowing into smoke, but his ability seemed to be fighting against some other unknown force, and he was only half-smoke.

"Oh, shit," Zoro swore. Tashigi was in front of him again.

"Roronoa!"

"Tashigi!" He promptly turned around and ran. "She's yours, Bonney."

"Hey!"

Zoro ran swiftly to the base of the execution platform. _If I can cut it down, then we can get him down from there…_

A droplet of water hit the top of his head, and he looked up to see that it was beginning to rain. He saw Ace staring blankly at the sky, flanked by two Marine escorts. One was a middle-aged man who smiled as he looked around at the carnage. His glasses were wet in the rain, and his moustache twitched as his suit was getting soaked. Next to him was a large grim-faced man carrying an axe over one shoulder.

The man carrying the axe jumped down when he saw Zoro and stopped his swords with his blade.

"Don't even think that you can get past me," the man said calmly. "I need no Devil Fruit power to defeat the likes of you."

"Sentoumaru," the man standing on the platform called. "You were supposed to stay up here." He didn't seem perturbed at all by the violence.

Sentoumaru shrugged. "I will take care of this man in a moment and return to my post. He would have jeopardized the mission, Uncle Kizaru."

"Very well. Carry on."

Zoro looked up desperately—_I'm so close!_

"Can you really afford to look away in the middle of battle?" Sentoumaru hit Zoro squarely in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. Zoro snarled as he tried to execute a 100 Pound Hou to catch both Sentoumaru and the platform, but was stopped by the Marine.

"Shit…!" Zoro cursed, glancing back up at Ace. A flash of lightning caught his attention, and the fighting seemed to cease as everyone turned to look at the illuminated platform.

Big Ben struck noon, and the bells rang out through the city.

Ace's prone figure and Kizaru's erect one were illuminated by the flash of lightning. Zoro thought that he could hear Luffy screaming somewhere in the background.

The sky went dark, until it was lit up again by another flash of lightning.

Ace was gone.


	48. Where's Waldo? Er, Ace?

London was a mess. There were figures running around, hacking and shooting at one another as civilians attempted to flee in terror. The pirates and Marines were locked in a deadly struggle, with agents of the World Government aiding the Marines. The ground was slick with a slippery mixture of dust and rainwater that was quickly turning to mud and visibility was low in the storm.

Zoro and Sentoumaru faced off grimly, oblivious of the mayhem going on around them.

Suddenly, Sentoumaru was in Zoro's face; the broadax glinted in the faint light.

They parried blow after blow, and Zoro was careful to keep watch of both the axe and Sentoumaru's limbs. The man was larger than strictly necessary to wield such a hefty weapon, yet moved with the grace of a martial artist. _This man is dangerous,_ he deduced.

_I need a technique to get rid of one of those weapons._

"Shuusui!" he roared. _Break this blade._

Sentoumaru's eyes widened as his broadax was suddenly sheared in half, as though by a hot knife through butter. He only barely managed to evade Sandai Kitetsu's follow-up as Zoro aimed for his neck.

"Those blades are dangerous," Sentoumaru mused. "Not in the traditional sense, but…how can you control such bloodthirsty things?"

Zoro merely grinned. "It's quite a fun experience, really…look." Sentoumaru didn't falter even as a thin line of blood ran down his cheek. "These swords of mine are crying for your life force. How can I deny them?" His blades shimmered as they split the rainwater to aim at Sentoumaru's vital organs.

Sentoumaru dipped and dodged the attacks; his eyes were slanted as he scrutinized the attacks for a pattern whose weakness he could take advantage of. His eyes widened as he found it, and his arms moved up to seamlessly strike Zoro hard in the chest.

"Oof!" Zoro grunted, catching himself and landing on his feet. "Kuso…"

A pair of golden eyes bore into his memory, mocking him.

"_Santoryuu Secret Technique—Three Thousand Worlds!"_

Sentoumaru fell in a spray of blood that mingled with the dark mud.

"ACE!" Zoro heard Luffy scream, and looked around desperately for his captain.

"Luffy? Luffy!"

"Where is he?" Luffy cried, his anguished words intermingling with his attacks as a Haki-infused punch struck Smoker square in the jaw and sent him flying. "Ace…!"

"Calm down. Today was not his day to die," a calm voice said. Zoro and Luffy whirled around and saw what appeared to be a walking voodoo doll alternately attacking other men and speaking to them. "I am Basil Hawkins. The cards…they have read his fate, and he is still alive."

"Crazy gypsy," another man snarled; his face was twisted, but he was grinning nonetheless in a feral smile that matched his fiery red hair. "You ought to know that a man can't rely on anything but his own strength!"

"Eustass Kid, do not try my patience," Hawkins replied calmly. Kid only responded by flipping him the middle finger.

Luffy promptly ignored them as he made his way to Whitebeard's side, where the Yonkou was still in battle with Aokiji. "Old man! Ace is gone!"

Whitebeard didn't falter at all as he parried blows with Aokiji. "So _he_ really did come, eh…? Don't worry, kid." One mighty blow sent Aokiji back a few steps, and Whitebeard howled into the wind. "Men! This battle is over!" As quickly as the battle had begun, it was over as the pirates began to disappear with alarming alacrity.

"C'mon, Zoro!" Luffy urged. "We could beat these guys, but it would take too long!"

As Zoro followed—he had defeated his opponent, and knew that there was no shame in a tactical retreat—he looked around and saw the rest of his crew running with them.

"Halt! Roronoa!"

"Oh, shit," Zoro groaned as he heard Tashigi yelling after him. "Where the hell is that Bonney woman?" He turned around reluctantly. "What do you want, woman—" He stopped short. "Kuina?"

"No, dolt, my name is Tashigi," she replied in exasperation. "Where is that woman? She turned me into _this_ and fled!"

There she stood, clutching her sword and holding her pants up in desperation as she buckled the belt more tightly around her thin waist. Her shirt was also far too large, and she had discarded her jacket in disgust. Her glasses were also tucked into her pocket, and as she glared while finally hoisting her pants up and drawing her sword, Zoro felt his heart nearly stop.

_Fuck._

"You…" he stammered.

"Zoro! C'mon, we have to hurry!" Luffy said.

Zoro sighed before running at Tashigi and throwing her over his shoulder, taking care to relieve her of her sword and put it back in its sheathe. "I'll get you fixed," he murmured as he began to run with Luffy again.

"Wha—hey! Put me down!"

---

"You brought a _Marine _back? You fool!" Nami tried to punch Zoro, but was stopped when he gripped her wrist firmly with an expression that said, _Don't mess with me right now, I'm highly unstable._

"Who's this kid, marimo?" Sanji inquired. They were back on the Thousand Sunny after having hastily retrieved their horses from the stables and riding as quickly as their steeds could go. Zoro had ridden with Tashigi behind him, and he only just realized that she was only cooperating because she had banged her head into his back and fallen unconscious. "She looks a bit like the cutie who was with that shitty Smoker guy."

"She, er…" Zoro mumbled. "That's her. She got messed up by one of the other pirates' Devil Fruit abilities, so I'm taking her to get fixed."

"That's oddly kind of you," Usopp said, nodding sagely. "She must be someone very special to you."

"Shut up, longnose."

Tashigi stirred slightly from her inclined position on the couch where Zoro had gently placed her. "Nmm…where am I?" She groped in her pocket and drew out her slightly battered glasses and placed them on her face. "Smoker-san—augh!" she shrieked as she caught sight of the pirates. "You!"

"Good morning, sunshine," Zoro grumbled. "Well, it's the evening, actually. Good of you to finally join us."

"Roronoa…" she hissed. "Tell me why I am sitting in the midst of a pirate's crew. And explain why my body is like _this."_ She waved to her loose shirt and pants.

"Some woman had a Devil Fruit that did that to you. Bonney," Zoro replied. "You told me yourself what happened. Did you forget?

"Yeah, Zoro brought you back to get you fixed!" Luffy said cheerfully. He seemed to be in a good mood despite the fact that his brother was missing—he rationalized that if he was gone, then he couldn't be dead.

"Actually," Robin said, "This might be a good opportunity. If Ace is not in friendly hands, we could use her as a bargaining chip." Tashigi shrunk back at this suggestion.

"Are we even going to see the other pirates again?" Franky asked dubiously. "What if she just ends up being a liability?"

"I-I'm not going to be a liability!" Tashigi squeaked defensively. "My swordsmanship is…" Her voice faded as she groped at her waist. "My…sword? Where's my sword?"

"Do you mean this?" Zoro asked, holding her katana above her head.

"Hey! Shigure!" she cried, trying to grab it. Zoro kept it well out of her reach, and she sighed. "Why did you take my blade, Roronoa?"

"We can't trust a Marine," he replied shortly. "Just sit tight and be a good girl. Here." He held a mirror in front of her face, and she stared in bewilderment. "Now you understand what has happened? You probably won't even be able to properly wield your blade and might injure yourself." He put a finger to her lips to silence her protests. "On a pirate's ship, you listen to the pirates, okay?" She glared at him, but couldn't respond in her present condition.

Suddenly, Sanji swooped in with a bowl of fruit and crème. "Ah, for the lovely little bird, I have made a snack for the short journey…!"

"Zoro," Nami said, drawing him aside. "Are you really sure this is wise?"

"It's kind of my fault," he said, rubbing his hair guiltily. "I set Bonney on her."

"We have no obligation to help her."

"She's already here."

"How can we bring a Marine to the Pirate's Summit? Do you realize how dangerous that is for all of us? Either she'll rat us out, or the other pirates will kill her."

"Then…we just have to disguise her as a pirate for the time being."

"There's an obvious logical fallacy with that…Bonney will know that she's a Marine."

"_We'll deal with it when the time comes._ Relax, woman, it's all under control."

Nami slapped her forehead, but nodded. "If this brings any ill upon our crew, I'm personally going to take your kintama as payment, okay?" Zoro winced, but she turned around and began snapping out orders to the rest of the crew to navigate through the impending fog that would lead them to the Pirate's Summit.

---

The Mugiwara Crew walked calmly through the halls of the Pirate's Summit. Tashigi walked in the middle of the group and wore shorts and a loose white shirt that Robin had altered to fit her. Her long hair was also plaited and hidden under a round cap; the effect was to make her gender ambiguous. They looked around and saw that there were many more pirates gathered here, since all the ones who had been hidden in London the day before were now present. There were also many wounded men who were being treated by their own doctors. They continued to walk until they came to the main hall, which was still not restored after the brawl that Sanji had instigated. Instead, any furniture that was intact was being used and anything that was broken was being turned into firewood. Whitebeard was leaning against a rough throne-like chair while being tended by a number of pretty nurses who cooed as they rubbed his partially-frozen limbs. Shanks sat beside him, deep in conversation with an elderly man with long white hair and a scar across one eye.

"Old man," Luffy said, walking up to Whitebeard as the rest of the crew hung back; Zoro stepped in front of Tashigi, shielding her from view. "Why did you tell me not to worry about Ace?"

Whitebeard looked down at Luffy, waving off his flock of nurses. "Kid, how much do you know about your family?"

Luffy tilted his head, turning to look back at his crew. "Uh, a lot? I'm standing in front of them, aren't I?"

Whitebeard snorted. "I mean your blood family, you fool. Ace is your only known real relative, isn't he? And Garp."

Luffy shrugged. "I never gave it much thought. Family is nakama is family. Why?"

Whitebeard allowed a nurse to rub his biceps, humming softly as he drank from a deep mug. "Your real papa's alive, you know. You might've heard of him." He wiped his moustache with a sigh. "The revolutionary, Dragon."

Robin gasped, and everyone automatically turned to her for further information. She was pale, and her eyes were wide with shock. "Dragon…they call him the instigator of a thousand revolts, the fuse for the dynamite that will tear this world apart. His name is whispered in countries spread across the world, and rulers fear to acknowledge his existence lest he go after them next."

"Not bad, for a fresh-out-of-the-shell Japanese girl," Whitebeard chuckled. "He has been very busy lately. Roronoa, you might be familiar with his activities, even if you are unfamiliar with his name. Napoleon Bonaparte worked closely alongside him in the French Revolution. The Portuguese uprising, the July Revolution…the list is long, and it is difficult to ascertain his involvement with any certainty. Well, that's your papa for you. It's not really surprising, considering your family. A crazy member of the bakufu, two pirates, a revolutionary…impressive, really."

"What does this have to do with Ace?" Luffy finally demanded, crossing his arms as he looked up at Whitebeard.

Whitebeard laughed; it was a guttural sound, and not entirely pleasant. "Dragon left you kiddoes in Shanks's care for a reason. Shanks!"

Shanks looked up in annoyance. "What?"

"Tell these pups why you took care of them."

Shanks snorted. "Because I love them!" He grinned at the Mugiwaras. "They're my kids, you know?"

"No, you dolt, give them the other reason. Sappy, sentimental bastard…"

"Oh. Dragon first left Luffy in my care after the failed…experiments with Garp," Shanks said with a shudder. "He knew the dangers that Ace and Luffy would be in if they stayed with him. It was a safety precaution."

"And now he has come back to protect them," Whitebeard rumbled. "The World Government has acted very foolishly, indeed. They must now suffer the shame of having lost their little execution example as well as not having captured a single pirate in the battle."

"When is he coming back?" Luffy asked. "If Dragon took Ace, then _where is he?"_

"Calm down, boy," Whitebeard said. "He hasn't contacted us, but wherever he is, your brother is safe. But…Monkey. Be careful."

"Why?" Luffy asked curiously.

"If…he does not return Ace within the next week," Whitebeard said seriously, "Then there is a chance that he will be going after you as well. I do not know for what reason—or by what power he could keep Ace from returning—but stay on your guard. We will give him one week, but no more."

"How did he take Ace, though?" Nami finally asked. "There was that Admiral guarding him, and thousands of other people…how could he have just spirited him away?"

"Girlie, do you know what the most powerful force in the world is?" Whitebeard asked idly, spinning his spear in one hand. Nami looked at him, puzzled. "You ought to be very familiar with it, being the navigator and all…"

"Water?" she volunteered curiously. Whitebeard shook his head.

"Nay, it's the force that can drive or stall a ship. It eats away at everything, can erode rocks, dry up water, blow out fire…the bringer of tornadoes and typhoons, of every natural malady that has to do with the weather. The wind. Dragon controls the wind. Nothing can stop it, or him." A chill wind blew through the hall, making everyone shiver involuntarily.

---

A/N: Wow, I didn't even realize that I hadn't posted this chapter up yet…it's been sitting in my files for a few days now. Well, here it is—my hypothesis concerning Dragon's power.


	49. Monkey in the Middle

Zoro tossed and turned on his hard bed as the torchlight flickering in the cavern's halls threw demonic shadows across the walls. Nearby he could hear the others snoring and snuffling in their respective slumbers, and he wondered why he had such a difficult time drifting off. It was not the bed he occupied—goodness knows that he had slept in harder and dirtier conditions than this—but the circumstances. Bonney had laughed in his face earlier that day, mocking him for having abandoned his duel with Tashigi; she had refused to turn the Marine back, and had even threatened to expose Tashigi's identity if Zoro pressed too hard. _I'll turn her back when I feel like it,_ the Supernova had said.

Zoro would have killed her, had she not been the only one who could return Tashigi to her adult form.

There was also the issue of Ace's fate. The Whitebeard pirate had not been seen since his execution date, and although everyone claimed that they were to wait for the duration of one week, he could tell that they were getting antsy. He himself had refused to leave Luffy's side save for when they were engaging in activities that necessitated solitude (such as using the toilet, for instance). Luffy had been surprisingly light-hearted about his brother's absence, but Zoro knew that Luffy trusted Ace's power--if Portgas was out of seastone cuffs, then he would be able to fend more than adequately for himself.

_Tomorrow at midnight is the deadline,_ Zoro thought wearily. He looked to where Luffy was clutching his hat a few feet away. _What will you do, Captain?_

_Would you pursue your own father to rescue your brother? Does he even need rescuing?_

Zoro finally managed to fall into an uneasy slumber, shivering as he felt a stiff wind pierce the layers of blankets he covered himself with to escape the chilly air.

The wind howled through the Pirate's Summit, shaking the fire of the pine torches.

---

"In three hours, the deadline will be up." Whitebeard stood and stretched his limbs. The ice that had been left from his battle with Aokiji was out of his system. "We must then implement our next plan."

"Going after the revolutionaries?" Shanks sucked in his breath with a sharp whistling sound. "That's risky business…"

"Yet it's one that we had all agreed upon," Whitebeard growled. "Do you mean to say that you will not participate?" His hand strayed to his side where his spear leaned against his chair.

Shanks shook his head. "No, my crew will help this endeavor. It will not be particularly difficult to find them, considering how often pirates and revolutionaries deal with one another. However, we can only find the ones we know about—and we cannot be sure of the size of Dragon's forces. They may number anywhere from a hundred to a hundred thousand. There are reasons that he has eluded capture for so long, old man, you must realize this! We might even be walking into a trap!"

"If you are so afraid then leave!" Whitebeard roared. "We do not need men of such weak countenance here! Go!"

Shanks stood angrily; his hands shook, and the air trembled.

"Steady, captain," Ben said soothingly. Shanks sat again, shaking with fury. _There are too many big names here,_ Zoro thought. _Their power is clashing...this cannot last._

"If my own son's life was not at stake, then you would be short an enormous asset," Shanks spat. He looked around. "Speaking of sons…Zoro, where's Luffy?"

Zoro snorted as he jerked awake; he had been snoozing with his eyes half-open and his mouth hanging slightly open. "Nnnz…wha?" He rubbed his eyes wearily; losing sleep last night had done him no good. "He went fishing with the rest of the crew. He didn't want to be here today, he said something about it being boring." Zoro trusted in his crew's ability to protect Luffy, especially with Sanji on hand (although he'd never admit it to the cook), and Luffy had complained about not being able to go out anywhere. "Robin's been listening in, though." Zoro turned down the collar of his shirt, where an ear and an eye peeked out curiously. A mouth sprouted on his forehead and spoke.

"Hello, gentlemen," Robin greeted them pleasantly. "It's quite lovely weather out here today. It's unusually warm for the season. Oh, Nami-chan, watch your book—the boys are splashing."

"Splashing?" Zoro said in alarm. "But the Devil Fruit users can't swim."

Robin chuckled. "Franky, Sanji, and Brooke are all keeping watch. Usopp would as well, but he's busy playing with the rest of them."

"That brat…" Whitebeard muttered under his breath. "Doesn't he understand the situation?"

"He's been very tense. This is a good stress reliever," Robin said gently. Zoro resisted the urge to scratch his forehead and collarbone; having her body sprouting all over him tended to make him itch. "Do not worry."

"Well, tell him to come back," Whitebeard snapped. "We have urgent matters to discuss."

"Believe me, Robin's the one who should know this. Luffy wouldn't know how to process this information," Zoro snorted. He winced as he felt the skin on his forehead stretch as Robin uttered a gasp. "Robin! What was that?"

"Luffy!" Robin cried. Zoro stiffened—if the suave Robin was disturbed by something, then it must be bad. "Wait—cook-san, be careful! He's—"

"Robin!" Zoro threw his chair aside and began to run outside. "Where are you guys? I'll come, so try to hold up until then!" The other captains and their first mates followed him.

"Luffy…" Robin's voice was soft, and desolate. "I can show you the way, swordsman-san, but…it is too late." Her voice shook but Zoro looked up and saw a line of hands pointing down the hallways.

"Thanks, Robin," Zoro said quietly. He ran as swiftly as he could, feeling her mouth, ear, and eye disappear.

When he found his crew, he gaped in shock. He could feel the other captains stopping behind him, speechless. The Mugiwara Crew had been known far and wide as strong and capable in battle, as well as versatile in surviving on the seven seas.

The crew, sans the captain and first mate, was thrown about the rocky beach. They had been utterly and, judging by the time it took, easily defeated.

Zoro ran forward and quickly dragged the Devil Fruit users who were hanging onto the rocks as the surf dragged at them. "You guys! What happened?" he demanded, pounding Chopper's chest to get the salt water out and pulling Brooke with the other arm. He saw Franky, Usopp, and Sanji half in the water and half on the shore. Chopper coughed, spitting out a mix of blood and water.

"Luffy…" Chopper sobbed, clutching Zoro. Nami, Tashigi, and Robin rose unsteadily from the rocks. They had been thrown aside, but were merely incapacitated rather than physically beaten. Everyone seemed too stunned to say anything as they merely stared miserably at him.

"Robin?" Zoro felt a tinge of pleading enter his voice, begging her to gather her strength and tell him what had happened. She shuddered, turning away before speaking softly.

"They took him, Zoro."

"Who? Dragon?" Zoro demanded as he repeated the procedure he had used on Chopper on the other men. Sanji hacked out a cough, expelling a mixture of brine and blood.

"Zoro," Sanji coughed. "Dragon came and took Luffy. It wasn't just him, though."

"The other revolutionaries, then?" Zoro asked. "How many? To have defeated you like this…"

Sanji shook his head. His eyes were downcast, and Zoro began to take in the other injuries that they had sustained. There wasn't just trauma from being thrown against the rocks and the water, but red blisters bubbling on their skin as well. A particularly nasty wound was visible on Sanji's arms; it was an angry crimson that was in harsh contrast to his pale skin, made even more contrasted by the cold water.

"There were only two. Dragon…and Ace."

---

The Mugiwara Crew was taken into the Pirate's Summit to be taken care of, as Chopper was in no condition to treat the crew. Zoro refused to leave their sides and hovered in his own way by constantly being present in the room. He saw that Sanji had suffered the worst injuries. The cook must have taken up the responsibility of watching after the crew in Zoro's absence, but must have overstretched himself. Zoro had forgotten about how the top three fighters divided their responsibilities—he, Luffy, and Sanji would work together to protect the others. With Zoro gone and Luffy captured, Sanji would have had a hard time going solo. Zoro moved from his station against the wall and dragged an empty barrel next to the cot where Sanji was sleeping; he saw that the golden strands that he had absently admired were singed, and that his forehead was scrunched in an anxious scowl.

"Shit…the one time I let him go without me, this happens," Zoro muttered. He looked up as he heard Whitebeard come in. _The big man himself comes and visits?_ Zoro thought, only with a little bitterness aimed at Whitebeard. "Shh, they're sleeping," Zoro muttered, and Whitebeard merely nodded once in acknowledgment of this.

"I must speak to them when they wake." Whitebeard leaned against the wall and stared down at Sanji. "How much do you trust this man?"

Zoro glanced up briefly at Whitebeard before turning back to Sanji. He knew what Whitebeard was thinking as he looked at the one who had told him about his own crewmember's betrayal. "I would trust him with my life," Zoro said solemnly as he pulled out Wado Ichimonji and held it parallel to Sanji's body. "I swear on my sword that this man would not, nor would any other member of this crew, tell a lie of that sort. Not even our resident liar would say something like that about Ace unless he had seen it with his own eyes."

Whitebeard continued to regard Sanji with a guarded expression. "I have only ever once had to deal with betrayal within my family. Ace was the one I had trusted to take care of the traitor, but now…" Zoro didn't say a word; he knew that this must have been hard for a man as proud as Whitebeard to speak of.

Sanji stirred slightly, feeling a disturbance in the air, and Zoro put a finger to his lips.

_Hush._

Whitebeard left. He was strong, but the power of one willing to die protecting his loved ones was a formidable strength.

---

_Luffy._

Zoro sighed as he kept watch on the door, his eyes flickering to his crew every once in a while.

_Luffy._

He groaned; he could hear his crewmates calling out to Luffy in their sleep, even when their lips did not move at all. They were crying for him…

Zoro didn't care to admit that he was calling after his captain as well.

"Roronoa," a voice said from the doorway. Zoro looked up and saw Bonney looking at him with an odd expression. "It's time for another meeting."

"I'm not leaving their sides," Zoro retorted as he leaned back more comfortably. Bonney rolled her eyes.

"Dragon already has what he wants. There's no reason for him to target any of the rest of them." She dug in her pockets and drew out a hardtack biscuit, nibbling on it with a look of disgust. "Man, I miss the pizza from home. Just come along, would you? Nothing will harm them in here. You're in one of the deepest rooms in the Summit, and Dragon would have to get past all of our crews to reach yours—if he even wanted to, that is. He already has his sons." When Zoro didn't move, she sighed. "Is this about the girl?"

"What?" Zoro blinked before looking at Tashigi, who was sleeping between Nami and Robin. "Oh, her. I kind of forgot about her."

Bonney snorted before standing beside Tashigi. She held her hands steadily over the Marine's body, and Zoro watched silently as Tashigi aged from a young girl to an elderly woman.

"Oy," he warned her. "Stop playing around."

Bonney scowled, but finally returned Tashigi to her original state. "There. Happy?"

Zoro shrugged. "Thanks. I'm still not going, though."

"It would be unwise of you to miss this meeting." Basil Hawkins stood in the doorway, rearranging tarot cards in the air. "Your crew will come to no further harm today."

"You said that about Ace, but the way he escaped was not what we desired," Zoro snapped. "I don't trust your voodoo."

Hawkins paused for a brief moment before sticking his head into the corridor and looking left and right. "I'm sure that it would be acceptable to move the meeting to the neighboring room," he mused. "The other one is far too large for its purposes. I will speak to Whitebeard on your behalf." He left, and Bonney scuffed the floor sourly as she drew out another hardtack biscuit.

"These rations are disgusting," she muttered darkly under her breath as she followed the other man.

Zoro sat there, contemplating. He could see that his crew was obviously very worried, yet he couldn't bring himself to fret over Luffy's disappearance. It was an odd feeling. _Maybe it's because he's with his family? But I had hated Ace until just a few months ago…but I can't help but feel that somehow Luffy is safe, wherever he is. Whether he's happy is another story…_

_I don't know where he is, but I might be able to find out by cooperating with these people._

Zoro stood and walked out to find the captains walking towards him, with Whitebeard and Hawkins in the lead. "We will conduct the meeting in this room," Whitebeard informed Zoro, pointing to the space adjacent to the infirmary. "However, since everyone else in your crew is…disabled at the moment, you _must_ represent them. We have not informed the other crews of Monkey's disappearance, in order to keep from undermining their morale; the loss of a Supernova is devastating." They all sat down, and Whitebeard unfurled a long parchment with words scrawled across it in tiny script. "This is a list of all known and confirmed revolutionaries. It was hard to obtain, but my men did it. This…" He pulled out a map of what Zoro recognized as the New World. "…is their base. Considering the way that their agents are spread out across the world, I had originally thought that they would be centered in Europe, but as it turns out they all report back here. It's very easy to come here and shed your identity, over and over again, as they so often do."

"So, we're going _back?"_ Zoro cradled his head in his hands as he looked at Whitebeard with an odd expression. "I never thought I'd make the trip from here to the New World once, let alone _three times_ back and forth."

"Scared, Roronoa?" Kid sneered. Zoro glared at him, but didn't respond; a man like that wasn't worth his time.

"We must stock our ships tonight and prepare to leave tomorrow morning," Marco said. "There have been far too many Marine sightings in the waters outside of the mists, and to stay here would prove to be disastrous if we were to be found. We could easily survive a siege, but that is not our main focus at the moment. The ships will sail in a formation with the single-ship crews on the edges of the triangle formation and our ships at the head. The only pirate crews to accompany us will be Shanks's and any Supernova's crew who wishes to come along. The rest may return to catering to their whims."

With that, Zoro rose and walked swiftly to the infirmary again, where he resumed his position of watchdog.

As he sat down and noticed—once again—the absence of raven hair covered by a straw hat, the impact of what had passed that day finally hit him.

_I'm such a fool…!_

The walls shuddered under the impact of his fists as he banged the walls mindlessly, seeking to somehow escape the trap of his mind as he went over the scene he had seen at the beach: his nakama scattered, and his captain gone.


	50. Florida

A/N: So I ran into a wall called writer's block that knocked all the eloquence from my head....:( I apologize, but this update is late and the next few won't be any easier to write. Sigh.

But here are some review replies, because I don't want to sift through my emails.  
PrimeFan: Unfortunately, the whole 'Ace' conundrum will not be solved today.  
ohlordies: it'll only continue to run on with the suspense and action (and epic-ness) because I'm trying to get to the climax. :)  
Reformation: Update!! here you go!  
ChainOfDreams: Even though this is the fiftieth chapter, I'll never give up on this story :]  
sentimentalreality: I'm trying to bring in all the supernovas but there are so many! raah!  
Santoryuu-Zoro: horo horo of course! the story's getting more epic, omg!!

And for the 50th chapter I'll do something special, I guess. Just throw out a name and I'll build a mini story (like the background stories for Zoro and Robin and Sanji...etc...). It'll be included in the next chapter.

:) Enjoy!

---

Sailing didn't feel quite the same on the Thousand Sunny without Luffy around. Considering the size of the ship and crew, Zoro thought that it would have been easy to find a distraction or place where he could _not think_ about his missing captain. However, forgetting such a memorable leader was difficult; it seemed even emptier without Tashigi, who they had dropped off on the mainland before departing. The lion's head looked oddly empty without Luffy hanging off of it; the mikan grove was quiet without the constant disturbance of a light-fingered (but not so light-footed) thief who stole between the trees for a precious morsel of the sweet fruit; the kitchens were dark, as Sanji only cooked a fraction of the food that he usually did without their official glutton and had little need to protect his kingdom's spoils from a marauding pirate…

The only safe haven seemed to be the crow's nest, and that was only because it had served as a library as well as a look-out and weight room. _It has been dreary these last few months_, Zoro thought morosely as he pumped iron absently. _Are you okay, Luffy?_

He looked outside and saw the other ships keeping their distance from one another. It was surprising that such an enormous fleet would have been able to simply waltz out of the European waters without so much as a tiny scuffle, but Zoro supposed that the Marines were still recovering from the devastating London loss.

He looked out at the horizon on a whim and saw a butter-yellow flag waving from the Moby Dick. He grabbed the Den Den Mushi that linked to the speaker system and called into it, "Land-ho!"

"The climate feels…different," Nami said suspiciously as they drew closer to the land mass.

"What do you mean?" Usopp asked as the rest of the crew emerged from the galley. "It's a bit warm for the season, but it isn't that unusual, is it?"

Nami shook her head in disappointment at this response. "The air is much more humid than the last region we sailed to—I think we've been taken further down south. The water is a different shade of blue, and…" She pointed to strange figures sticking out of the water. "I don't remember seeing mangroves last time. Plus, the sands here are white, not brown."

"Nami-chan is right," Robin corroborated. "We are definitely in a different region. It is doubtful that the revolutionaries would have chosen such an arid and barren place as we had landed last time."

"Oy!" someone called from a ship to their left. They looked and saw Bonney waving at them. "The captains' ships are supposed to sail to the front and dock with Whitebeard."

---

Zoro hoisted his swords over his shoulders to keep them out of the water and slung his boots—tied at the laces—over each end as he jumped into the ocean and began to wade towards the shore. _The water is warm,_ he thought. _It's early spring, but it's kind of…pleasant, here._

The crews were all trudging in the same general direction on the beach, and Zoro lingered near the back of the group as they moved. Since they had no way of knowing what kind of enemies they might encounter, he preferred to stay where he could keep an eye on everyone.

"Where are we going?" he heard Sanji ask Bonney. Zoro chuckled; the first time Sanji had met Bonney, he'd been both repulsed by her eating habits and attracted by her physique.

"Apparently Shanks has a place he goes to whenever he's in the area," Bonney replied tersely before moving away. She was not too fond of the amorous chef.

They kept walking through the ocean, which quickly gave way to a salty marsh. Zoro swatted away mosquitoes the size of his thumb away as they moved and he swore that he saw the leathery scales of a crocodile disturbing the murky water once in a while. _Given the climate and flora here, I'd guess that this place would breed disease like crazy…_ After a few hours, they found themselves on firmer ground and saw a round clearing with the ancient remnants of a fire pit and the gutted skeletons of a few huts. Shanks's crew was already gathered, inspecting the clearing in clear disappointment as they ran their hands over the old wood.

"The bandits have already taken everything of value," Ben remarked as they gathered around. "However, it should not take too long to rebuild everything…the wood here is scarce, but the climate is favorable and the wood should not be too difficult to gather. We'll need to split up into parties to get wood for building and the fire, food, and fresh water." Everyone quickly split up according to their abilities, and Zoro went off on his own in search of the materials he needed.

As he moved deeper into what was quickly becoming another foggy swamp, he didn't hear the softly padding footsteps following behind him, masked by the sinking earth.

---

"What are these bandits you spoke of?" Robin's question made Ben raise an eyebrow as he regarded the archeologist carefully.

"Why do you ask?" he replied as he looked up from the frayed rope he was mending. "They do not concern us, nor will they bother us."

"It would be prudent of us to be aware of any possible threats to…the mission." Robin smiled innocuously as she waved a hand, and a line of arms and hands appeared to help him finish the rest of the mending. "After all, I was not aware that many people lived on this continent, aside from the natives. Are they the bandits?"

Ben shook his head as he tied a seaman's knot firmly; she realized that he had been weaving a fishing net. "No, the natives and foreigners normally follow the golden rule: do unto others as you wish to be done to yourself. Although there are a few warring tribes—even some, I've heard, with the devil's own power—most of them keep to themselves. The bandits are groups of roving pirates who have realized how difficult it is to survive here, yet cannot bring themselves to take the long journey back home. They are tough enough to subside on what they can steal, but are unable to create a permanent and peaceful existence here."

"So other pirate crews have made it here, then?"

"Oh, of course…sometimes it's luck, or raw power and skill…almost none of them make it here intact, and many fall apart after their captains succumb to one disease or another sort of accident." He began to tie heavy stones to the edge of the net, deftly and swiftly. "This is not the first time they have done something like this. It always happens after we leave, and they have enough time to cover their tracks. I'm sure that everyone in our group is strong enough to fend off even a group of them."

Shanks ambled over, dragging an enormous crocodile behind him as he laughed heartily. "Ah, this beauty nearly caught me by surprise," he cackled gleefully. "She'll feed us well though. Have you ever had crocodile meat before, Robin?"

She looked at the scaly monster on the ground in curiosity. "I can't say that I have. However…" Something glimmered, and she moved to inspect the crocodile carefully. "There seems to be something affixed to its tail." Robin knelt and held it up for the two men to see. "See? It seems to be a bracelet of some kind, although I am unsure as to whether the design around it is some form of language."

"Let me see." Shanks peered at it closely. "Hm…ah, how simple. Have you any wax?" She nodded and rummaged in her pack for a candle she kept in case she wished to read at night. "If you would find a broad strip of wood or bark, then could you melt it into a broad sheet?" She followed his instructions and watched in fascination as he took the wax-covered wood from her hands and pressed the bracelet into the rapidly cooling substance, rolling it until the entire design was imprinted. "There we go." It formed a message in a language that Robin vaguely recognized.

"This is English, isn't it?" she asked. "I am just learning it myself to translate various texts…it is getting easier, after having learned French and Italian."

"A language expert, eh?" Shanks remarked. "Yes, this is English. Read it, Robin-chan."

She smiled at the affection use of '-chan' as she began to read. Her face grew more serious as she read, though. "'Wolf to Queen—Wyrm success. Grove 1.' What on earth can this mean?"

Shanks looked at the message and pulled out a stick of charcoal to record the message on another strip of bark at hand. "I don't know, but I intend to find out. Ben, stay here and let the others know that we've gone to find out what this means." Ben nodded, looking up from his work.

"Be careful."

---

Zoro looked around as he hoisted the deer he had found wandering nimbly in the swamp over his shoulder. _I'm sure someone's out there, but who? Where?_ Try as he could, he could not identify the location of the person's chi, only that it was there somewhere. "Come out," he called, dropping the deer and placing a hand on his swords. "I know you're out there."

---

"So, Shanks-san, are there any other dangers we should know about?" Robin asked as they moved through the swamp for clues concerning the message. Shanks's eyes continued to rove, but he was able to speak without breaking his concentration.

"There are several factors that play into a man's survival in the new world," Shanks said, prodding at a clump of mud with his foot; it broke, revealing an egg. "Oof, sorry. First, there's disease. That cannot be helped—this land holds many animals and plants as well as sicknesses that have never been seen in the old world. There are also the natives, although they are rather unpredictable in their temperaments. The other rogue bandits are here too, but the most dangerous ones are the revolutionaries. I'm not entirely sure what they do if you do chance upon them, but I have had a few rookies in the crew wander off and never return."

"Do you think the bracelet has anything to do with them?"

"It has to be them. The natives have their own dialects, and they would not know English well enough to have had that kind of a message. The pirates would not have the finesse to attach that kind of a bracelet so tightly to the croc's tail. Furthermore…" Shanks brushed his hand against the trunk of a tree, and Robin noticed that the bark seemed to have a strange pattern on it. She tilted her head slightly and stood back.

"12?" she read. "The number is curved so naturally into the bark that it's very easy to miss." She looked around. "It looks like 11 is in that direction so…just a moment." Shanks watched, bemused, as she crossed her arms. A flurry of eyes popped out on the trees in every direction as she inspected the area. "I think I found 1, but it's quite a distance away," she finally said, releasing her ability with the uncrossing of her arms. "Shall we go, or should we call backup?"

"Put an eye, ear, and a mouth on every Supernova and captain within your radius." Shanks went up to the tree and picked up a shiny, round pebble. "I've been dropping these every few feet, so if they meet up with Ben then they'll know where to go."

"Such foresight," Robin complimented him with a smile. "Very well." She closed her eyes in concentration as she went to work.

---

"I know you're out there." Zoro's words echoed hollowly and seemed to mock him; there was no response. "Alright, I gave you fair warning. It's a good thing I was on the lookout for firewood. _108 Pound Hou!"_ The flashing swords sent a ripple across the forest in all directions and he looked around for a decapitated corpse. He looked down in shock when a mouth formed on his chest.

"Swordsman-san, we'll need you to return. We found a clue." Robin's voice spoke out softly, and Zoro grumbled as he saw an ear and an eye pop out alongside the mouth.

"Just a sec," he hissed. "Someone's following me."

"Oh?" Eyes popped out all over his body, creating a strange blinking pattern.

"Oi! This is really weird," he protested. "How do I know you haven't got an eye down my pants?"

Robin chuckled. "I didn't think you were the type to go commando."

"Hey!"

"Behind you. Watch out!" Zoro spun around, and his swords collided with his opponent with a mighty _crash._

---

Ben picked up the last pebble and grinned at his captain. "Hansel and Gretel was a good story to know. What's up, captain? Did you find the lads we're looking for?" Behind him, a long line of pirates followed from all the way back to the campsite. "We have a few stragglers, but this should be everyone."

Shanks nodded. "We might have. We found that the trees might refer to groves, but Robin is contacting the rest—" His words were cut off as Robin cried out.

"Behind you. Watch out!"

They all heard the sound of combat in the distance, muffled by the distance and the trees.

"Zoro's not far," Robin gasped as she released the sensory organs she had sprouted on Zoro. A flurry of hands pointed in the right direction. "He had already wandered to grove 1!"

Nami and the other Mugiwaras trotted to the front from the back. "What's this about Zoro I hear?" she panted, clutching a stitch to her side. "When we realized that he was the only one that hadn't been accounted for, we ran as fast as we could." They heard another crashing sound in the distance. "Oh, you need say no more. I think we all get it. C'mon guys, let's go!"


	51. Revolutionaries

A/N: Wow, I haven't updated in a _really _long time. But I'll be doing another double update with Water Sector so…yeah. My apologies, and enjoy! Yes, I know that some characters might be OOC and that it might move a little fast but…I'm trying to move the story on a bit.  
Review replies to my patient reviewers at the end...

---

"Marimo!" Sanji cried as they reached Grove 1; his long legs enabled him to run quickly, far ahead of the pack. "Where the hell are you?" He followed the sounds of fighting as he weaved through the trees, clearing the path for the others. He stopped dead on his tracks when a large, green-haired shape was thrown through the trees, slamming solidly into a deep-rooted tree. Sanji stared at Zoro as he gasped painfully and stood, staring in disbelief in the other direction. "Oy! What's happening?"

Zoro shook his head slightly; otherwise, he gave no indication that he had heard Sanji. They both turned when they saw the others coming to a stop a few feet away.

"Zoro?" Chopper whimpered plaintively as he scurried over to inspect the fallen swordsman. "Are you okay?"

"This…person," Zoro coughed as he pounded his chest. "He has a weird power. Look." He pointed at a tree that bore five deep gouges from the nails of what must have been a powerful opponent. It was withering away from within, starting at where the nails had made their marks. "That's not just poison."

"It smells _odd,"_ Chopper sniffled. He grew into his human form, pounding his fists together. "Everyone, on your guard!"

"This vill not go vell…" a voice murmured; they could hear a behemoth approaching through the trees, checking under rocks and behind tree trunks. A figure with an unusually large head could be seen through the trees, wearing a long brown cloak that covered any other distinguishing body features. "That boy, vhere is he?"[1] The man came into view, and stopped short when he saw the large group. "Mmmmfufufu, vhat have ve here? It looks like a bandit group!"

"A bandit group?" Shanks stepped forward with what was evidently a bruised ego. "Tch, we are no group of bandits. Speak your name and put down your weapons!"

The man regarded Shanks under a pair of long eyelashes, bowing his head slightly as his curly hair hooded his face. "My name and my weapons? I have no weapons to speak of, but my name is Emporio Ivankov. Let this be a peaceful discussion, since I am obviously outnumbered." He held out a hand, making to shake hands with Shanks.

Shanks shrugged as he slowly held a hand forward.

"No! Shanks, _his hands are his weapons!"_ Zoro roared. Shanks didn't flinch at all as Ivankov's hand shot out quickly and pierced the skin of his hand.

At least, he would have, had Shanks not moved to the side and gripped his wrist in an iron clasp.

"Emporio Ivankov, eh?" Shanks hissed, forcing Ivankov to his knees. "I've heard of you. A Russian revolutionary who disappeared years ago. You're famous for having a battalion of transvestites and homosexuals under your command—all outcasts of Russian society who were more than glad to fight under you. Why don't you tell us what you're doing here?" He pressed down subtly, forcing Ivankov to bend to his will.

"I vill not bend to your vill," Ivankov hissed. He blew sharply through his lips and created a piercing whistling sound. "See vhat you have brought upon your own heads!"

The trees began to rustle in response to his call as cloaked figures appeared out of nowhere. The pirates immediately put their hands to their weapons and formed a circle around Shanks and Ivankov. One of the cloaked figures threw his hood back, revealing a man with the skull of a fox fixed atop his head. [2]

"Release him." The man spoke with the natural air of one accustomed to having his orders being followed.

"We mean you no harm," Shanks replied as he kept a firm grip on Ivankov. "Ben, take his other hand." With only one arm, Shanks could not restrain Ivankov's other arm. "We are looking—"

"For the Monkey brothers, correct?" The fox-skulled man barked in laughter. "Don't worry, they're in good hands. You, however, should be more worried about your own welfare than theirs at the moment. All these bounty heads…it's quite impressive. We didn't think you'd be able to collaborate. Especially not you two," he said, nodding to Shanks and Whitebeard. "We usually can feel the vibrations in the earth from your battles rather than your parley."

"Quiet," Whitebeard growled. "Where is my son?"

"Your son?" Ivankov laughed. "He is vith his _father_. Vhere else vould he be?"

"His father?" Whitebeard stepped forward slowly, pushing aside the other pirates to lift Ivankov easily with one enormous hand. "That man abandoned his family for his own foolish ideals. Although I am glad to have had Ace join my family, that kind of a crime is unforgivable. _Take me to him."_

"I said, release him!" The other revolutionary whipped out a gun from under his cloak. Marco was there in an instant to intercept the bullets with his blade.

Thus began the brawl.

---

_Shit, I can't waste my time here._

Zoro ran after the revolutionary who was managing to just stay out of the reach of his swords. "Get back here!" he yelled. "You can't run forever!"

The man running ahead of him didn't answer as he swung the pair of blades in each hand—_When did he draw them? They're too large to hide under his cloak—_and turned to face Zoro. The trees around them fell in a neat circle and Zoro realized that the man had been running in a purposeful line through the trees to give them ample space.

"There was not enough room." The man spoke simply as he adjusted his tinted glasses; Zoro was intrigued to see that his face and hair were of contrasting salt and pepper hues. "Now we can fight…Zoro Roronoa."

"You know my name, then?" Zoro said with a grin. "I'm glad to see that I'm getting known even this far out in the wilderness." He drew his katana and faced his opponent eagerly. "Might I have the pleasure of learning your name? I want to know how to mark your gravestone."

The man smiled slightly. "My name is Inazuma," he said; as he smiled, his face seemed to soften and its harshness gave way to a more feminine expression. Suddenly, he darted forward again, and Zoro saw—_those blades, where are they coming from?_

He leapt back, watching as the scissoring edges clipped at the air just a hairsbreadth away from his eyes; he saw his eyelashes flying in the air after being grazed and knew just how sharp those weapons were. "How do you draw your weapon so quickly?" Zoro grunted as he landed. Inazume continued to move forward and his blade buried deep into the trunk of a tree. The revolutionary pulled his hand back effortlessly, and Zoro remarked, "Those swords of yours must be pretty sharp to slice through that wood so easily."

"Oh, these will never dull so long as I am alive," Inazuma replied shortly. "Those blades of yours will stand no chance either."

_If he's serious…then I cannot use my katana,_ Zoro thought uneasily. _But without them against a blade, I stand little chance…is there any way to fortify these?_

_Haki._

"Ooh, impressive!" Inazuma hummed appreciatively. "Why don't you join us? You're quite powerful on your own. Normally we don't mind working with pirates once in a while; we'll hold no hard feelings if you choose to join our side." Zoro's forehead twitched with the effort of consciously exerting his Haki but held firm.

"You took my captain," he growled through clenched teeth. "_Oni Giri!"_

The blades held, quivering against Inazuma's defensive stance. "These scissors are capable of cutting into the ground like paper, yet your katana can withstand the pressure," Inazuma observed in astonishment. "What are you, to withstand this power of the devil?"

"A Devil's Fruit, huh?" Zoro grunted. "No wonder this works then…" His three blades began to slice quickly and efficiently. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb! Where is Monkey D. Luffy?!"

"Zoro!"

Both men stopped as they heard the muffled cry ringing through the forests. "Luffy?" Zoro uttered.

"Zoro…stop fighting."

"Where are you, Luffy?" Zoro roared. He didn't let down his guard, but searched the area for the feeling of another presence; he felt none.

"Crab-chan…"

"Yes, Luffy?" Inazuma asked sweetly. As he removed his tinted glasses, Zoro noticed that his face was indeed softer and rounder than he had first thought, and as the man smiled Zoro was struck by just how _feminine_ he seemed now.

"You're standing on the door," Luffy called. "Mooove!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Inazuma cried as he—_she?_ Zoro thought—leapt to the side. Zoro watched in astonishment as a round door was pushed out of the earth and Luffy stuck his head out of the hole.

"Zoro!" Luffy cried jubilantly. He leapt out of the hole, running towards Zoro.

"Luffy!" Inazuma barked sharply; his glasses were back on, and his sterner countenance was once again more masculine. Luffy faltered, one hand squishing into the soft earth as the other was stretched out in his running leap as if he was reaching out to Zoro. Shining eyes gleamed under a thick, dark locks—Zoro noticed that the boy needed a good haircut—and Luffy's body quivered with energy. "Luffy," Inazuma repeated gently, and Luffy's hand fell to his side. The previously exuberant rubberman sighed softly before turning around and going back into the hole. "Yes, that's a good boy."

"Don't do anything to him, crab-chan," Luffy said, his back to both men. "Just…let them all come peacefully."

"Your father won't approve of that, Luffy."

"I said," Luffy growled, his shoulders stiffening and his fists clenching, "_don't touch them, and let them in."_ His voice was uncharacteristically malicious, and Zoro felt a dark aura completely unlike the Haki that he had felt Luffy use before. _What the hell?_ His lungs constricted as he breathed as deeply and slowly as he could to counteract their sudden restriction.

"…alright, Luffy," Inazuma said with a sigh. "I will show them to the main entrance."

"Thanks, crab-chan!" Luffy chirped as his dark mood dissipated instantly. "I'm going back, so I'll meet you guys there!" He shut the trap door, and the thick growth and mosses covered it up effectively enough that it was invisible to the casual observer.

"That young man is far too troublesome for his own good," Inazuma muttered before turning to Zoro. "Shall we rendezvous with the rest of your group?"

Zoro stared for a moment at the man who had been trying to kill him a few moments previous.

"Sure."

---

"So Luffy had this weird dark aura?" Nami whispered to Zoro as they followed Inazuma and Ivankov ("Call me Iva!" the flamboyant man insisted) through the woods.

"I can't imagine that," Chopper added as he trotted along. "The darkest he's ever been was when he was fighting the enemy, but if he's on their side…"

"We can't know anything for sure," Robin said quietly. "Ace had collaborated with Dragon, but without any knowledge of their motives we can't say anything for sure."

After walking for what seemed to be ages to Zoro, they found themselves at the mouth of a cave. "Follow close behind," Inazuma warned. "Please come from behind to make sure that no one gets lost, Lord Emporio." Iva winked the affirmative as he sauntered to the end of the long line of pirates and chuckled as he saw the pirates here and there who were injured from the skirmish. Zoro and Inazuma had had to forcibly stop some of the fighting, but in the end had managed to round everyone up without any casualties (Zoro decided not to mention the unnamed revolutionary's body he had stashed under a log after the man had refused to stop attacking Usopp).

The cave was not as dim as Zoro had initially expected as gleaming stalagmites and stalactites jutting from every surface reflected the incoming sunlight like grotesque teeth._ Walking into the beast's mouth straight to the belly,_ Zoro couldn't help but think. As they progressed, Zoro noticed splatters of some luminescent substance splattered here and there in cryptic shapes to guide the way and knew that if he was alone, he would not make it out of here alive. They made their way slowly and gingerly (they had to stop a few times to help Whitebeard and some of the larger crewmembers squeeze through small orifices—somehow, Iva's head made it through the tiny holes without scraping the sides). Just as Zoro began to wonder whether they would die down here, he saw a faint glimmer of flickering light and heard Chopper sniff the air behind him. "Torches," the little reindeer squeaked nervously. "I can smell the tallow and smoke."

"Guys!" Zoro looked at the growing light and saw a thin figure's silhouette complete with straw hat.

"Luffy?" Nami gasped. "You're alright!" The others clamored as the Mugiwara pirates broke into a shambling run in the fading darkness. Just as Nami was about to leap into Luffy's arms in a tight embrace, two figures took their places behind the Supernova captain. One of them put a solid hand on Luffy's shoulder; Zoro was unsure as to whether this was a friendly gesture, or one of restraint.

"You ought to have consulted me before inviting…these people into the base," the man said; his voice was calm, yet suggested that there was a gale of power behind the tattooed face that was barely visible in the flickering torchlight.

"But dad…" Luffy whined, turning to him. "They're my nakama!"

"Monkey D. Dragon," Shanks whistled softly as he pushed his way through the ranks. Whitebeard squeezed through after him, and the two men glared at the infamous revolutionary.

"Just let them come in at least," the other figure muttered, and they all turned in shock to see the man hold up a blazing hand that lit up the enormous cavern. Ace ran a burning hand through his hair—which Zoro was half-amused to see did not catch on fire—and sighed as Dragon waited expectantly. "Let them come in…_dad."_ He spat the word out with a malice that was odd coming from the normally friendly D. brother.

Dragon looked at his two sons for a moment before chuckling briefly. "Teenage boys, huh? Alright, come on in…" He swept a hand towards the entrance, and Zoro shivered as he felt a stiff wind run over their heads and usher them into the revolutionary's base.

---

[1] On Onemanga they have him speaking with the 'w' sound as a 'v' sound (FrankyHouse Scanlations). So…that's how he's going to speak.

[2] This revolutionary is still unnamed (I don't even know if he's an important character) but he's seen talking to Dragon in Chapter 440 while looking through bounty posters.

Review replies...  
ohlordies: Yes, a loincloth seems appropriate, especially after the whole tarzan call in skypiea :]  
wildskysong: I'm sorry that the time that you finally get hooked, it takes forever for me to update :[  
Lord of Murder: wow you actually reviewed all those chapters! right on!  
Santoryuu-Zoro: yes, I got your letter. a little creepy, but I updated!


	52. Portgas

A/N: Yes, this is me. After more than a month—has it already been two months, even?—of not updating, this is chapter 52. There was sort of a problem with my storyline, mainly conflicting timelines and the fact that in every scrap of notepaper I had for this story, it all ended with them arriving in the New World. Well, what now? This is where we start to deviate from canon and just start going into…the world of pure fiction.

I was going through the reviews to nudge my sluggish pen forward and wanted to write some replies…but they'll be at the end of the chapter.

---

Zoro wondered what was up with criminals and enormous, naturally made geological wonders of fortresses.

The cave they were in opened up to a cavern larger than any opera hall that graced the cities of Europe. Glimmering stalagmites and stalactites provided a meager source of illumination, and shafts that led outside provided both fresh air and sunlight. Revolutionaries worked busily at stone tables covered with bounty papers, old newspapers, and other documents. They all stood and snapped salutes at Dragon before returning to their work; they were unperturbed by the presence of the pirates.

"Are you hungry?" Luffy asked as he ran around haphazardly. Piles of papers were knocked off desks and replaced with the weary air of habit by the revolutionaries. "There's this weeeeird fish that lives in the lake in the cave that's all slimy but it's really good if you take off the scales and roast it—"

"I'm sure that they would prefer an explanation over anything else," Dragon interrupted as he rubbed Luffy's head affectionately while simultaneously preventing his son from wreaking any more havoc. "Captains and vice-captains, please follow me. The whole Mugiwara crew is welcome, as well…since this does concern your captain, after all."

"And the Whitebeard Pirates?" Whitebeard rumbled dangerously. He seemed to have been placated after seeing that Ace was healthy, but was unhappy to see that his son was not yet by his side.

"Your crew is rather large," Dragon said. "It would be illogical to have your entire fleet follow us in."

Whitebeard shrugged. "Division commanders, come along."

"I guess you just can't control a Yonkou," Dragon muttered. "Come along."

They gathered in what must have been a private room…er…cavern. Dragon took a seat at the head of the table as everyone else seated themselves. Zoro didn't fail to notice that Luffy and Ace took seats to the left and right of Dragon, respectively; he simply took a seat next to Luffy as Whitebeard took one next to Ace.

"So, what the _fuck is going on."_ Zoro hadn't meant to let such obscenities slip from his mouth, but he was tired of all the secrecy.

"Exactly what I was about to say, young whippersnapper," Whitebeard snarled. Shanks nodded in agreement. The anticipation in the room was incredible.

Dragon looked around at everyone and nodded. "Do you know what the Will of D is?"

The Mugiwara Crew immediately looked at Robin, who smiled slightly. "I have some idea of what the concept is," she said. "But that was established by Gold. Roger, was it not?"

Dragon twirled his finger, absently creating a tiny cone of wind as he thought about how to relay the next bit of information. "It has been attributed to him, that is true—because his name is Gol D. Roger, not Gold Roger. I have been given the initial D, as has my father and as I have given my sons…but it is not a matter of blood, not at all. You see, the D 'clan,' as we are sometimes called, has a special ability." He waited expectantly.

Zoro sighed. "What ability?" _Seriously, I'm starting to see how he's related to Luffy and Ace. He may be serious on the outside, but he appears to secretly be a big dork._

"The ability to hear the voice of all things."

"The what?" Luffy asked. Apparently, he was not aware of this special power either.

Dragon folded his fingers around the tiny cyclone he was nursing in his hands. "We have a type of hyper intuition, you might say. Haven't you ever noticed that whoever these boys of mine trust, the rest of the crew trusts them as well? It's like instinct."

"What does that have to do with why you brought them here?" Nami demanded. "You're still not telling us _why."_

Dragon smiled thinly. "I have lost count of the number of times the World Government has sent moles and spies to infiltrate our organization. Even if they do not know our exact location, the sheer number of people…" His voice drifted off for a moment. "If would only take one to wreak havoc, or to send word of our location to the World Government. I have managed to intercept all of the spies—as have a few other trusted advisors—but men like my boys are always welcome."

"Is that it?" Zoro asked angrily. "They're just _lie detectors_ for you?"

Dragon shook his head. "No, we have been doing quite fine in that department without them. There is another reason why I needed men of my own blood here. It has to do with…their mother."

"Their _mother?"_

Dragon smiled thinly. "They had to come from somewhere, didn't they? Normally that would take a vessel called a 'mother.' She was quite the wildcat, you know. Vivacious, energetic, and smart…"

"She 'was?'" Zoro asked curiously. "What happened to her?"

Dragon looked up, and his eyes were haunted with some ghastly memory. "She didn't bear the will of D, you know. I have yet to meet a woman who does. She was the closest match I could find to the right spirit, and I thought it would work with her." He paused before taking a deep breath and sighing. "She disappeared the day I took her down into the belly of the beast…"

Shanks looked oddly at Dragon. "When I asked you about Luffy's mother, you said she had been intercepted in the way into Japan and thrown into the ocean. What the hell is this you're talking about?"

Dragon shook his head. "I've never told anyone about what had happened that day, nearly twenty years ago. Not the truth, at least…"

"_Dragon! What is this place?" Pretty Portgas [1] smiled up at her husband as she climbed up the cliff after him. She bore a dusting of freckles across her nose and had a thin frame that both her sons seem to have inherited, although her hair was a deep, rich red hue rather than black. "If you left them with their grandpère then there must be a good reason for you to have brought me."_

_Dragon grinned, his face clean of scars or tattoos; he was still a fairly young man, after all. "You like adventure, right?"_

"_Of course!"_

"_And you're prepared to have one, right?"_

"_Yes, yes! Now, what kind of a situation would require you to bring out the heavy traveling packs? It's not like you to have brought something like this." She gestured to the two large rucksacks that they wore, holding various survival tools._

_Dragon pointed across the plateau they had climbed onto. "See that over there?"_

_Portgas squinted before smiling knowingly. "Only you could find out about a cave opening over here. How'd you find it?"_

_Dragon's grin grew as he shrugged noncommittally. "Oh, just some ancient scrolls here and there…wall writings and such. You know how it is."_

_Portgas snorted in a rather unfeminine way as she shrugged in return. "Yes, you and your mysterious sources. I hear that you actually have someone who can read Poneglyphs?"_

_Dragon nodded. "Yes, but Nico Olvia's going to try to get back into Japan. She said something about missing her daughter…eh, I guess parents are just like that."_

"_I notice you haven't made any attempt to visit Ace in Japan," Portgas said sourly. "Or Luffy."_

_Dragon sighed. "You know how hard it is to get in and out of that damned archipelago. Anyways, stop spoiling the adventure. Let's go."_

_They trekked across the plain and made their way to the cave entrance. "Who made this?" Portgas asked, her voice echoing in the cave entrance._

_Dragon was already walking in as he called back, "Ancestors of the local Cherokee Indians. [2] Apparently they had branched off from some nation in South America…Shandora? You'll have to ask Olvia about it later."_

"_What are we expecting to find?"_

_Dragon grinned. "Even revolutionaries need funds. You know how they say that Gol D. Roger left his treasure in the New World?"_

_Portgas nodded. "Yes, the legendary…One Piece." She stopped on her tracks. "You're not saying…his treasure? Here?"_

_Dragon shrugged. "They say that Roger could read and write in the same script as the Poneglyphs. There were all these mentions of treasure in the sources that led me here, and it was worth a look. Be careful, though."_

"_Why?"_

"_These Indians left all sorts of lovely booby traps and dangerous things like that to protect it. If Roger was really here, I doubt he'd let anyone just mosey on in and take it. I want you to stick close to me, okay? Legend has it that the treasure can only be found by one with the Will of D."_

"_Then why did you bring me here? Why not Garp?" Portgas demanded in exasperation. "Not that I think I can't handle it, but I don't want to jeopardize something like this."_

_Dragon smirked. "I'll protect you." He squeezed her hand in a brief and rare moment of affection before leading the way._

_She never saw the light of day again._

Dragon shuddered. "Automatic arrows, poisoned spikes, pits full of cannibalistic snakes that feed on one another when they're not coming after you…those, we could deal with easily. There was one tunnel, though…"

"_Are you okay?" Dragon yelled over the howling wind in the tunnel they were trudging through. They had lost their bags in a leap over a false floor—it had given way at the second step—and had resorted to ropes tied around each others' waists to stay together._

"_I'm fine. Keep walking," Portgas yelled back._

_The wind howled._

"_The torches!"_

_All was dark, and the only way they knew where to go was to face the wind and walk. They couldn't turn back; they would surely die without light or guidance._

_Dragon felt something shift under his feet and whirled around to grab Portgas's hand. "Careful! Something—"_

_He heard something snap and felt the rope whip his face. Dozens of razor-sharp things, blades or stones or something he couldn't see, were flying through the air. One had cut his connection, and he felt a small pair of hands push him forward and out of the way of the shrapnel that had already cut thin lines on one side of his face. "Portgas!"_

"_Dragon, run—"_

_He scrambled in the direction of her voice on his knees, something inside of him guiding him in what he felt must have been the right direction until the wind suddenly ceased. He opened his eyes that he had kept tightly shut to protect them from the debris._

_He had found the center of the labyrinth. There was a small hole in the ceiling, letting in a single beam of light. The light was green, indicating that it must have been hidden by the surrounding vegetation._

_The green light was focused on a single pedestal, where a large mound of earth sat; a tree grew, fed on the feeble sunlight and rich minerals of the earth this deep down in the ground. Dragon felt that the soil was damp under his fingers and knew that this tree would live for many years, sheltered from the elements. The tree was unlike any he had seen; he couldn't recognize the leaves, nor see any fruit._

_A flash of color drew his eye to branches on the lower part of the tree. A strange fruit hung heavy from a branch bearing patterns he had only seen on paper._

"_An Akuma no Mi…" Dragon ran forward and grabbed it. "This is incredible! They're supposed to be extremely rare. Portgas, this may be our ticket out!"_

_The only response to his words was an echo that seemed to mock him._

"_Portgas?" He turned, suddenly realizing his folly. He ran back to the tunnel, but could see only darkness. "Portgas!"_

_He looked down the tunnel and made a fast decision. He bit into the fruit and nearly gagged, but managed to swallow it, bitter flesh with the swirling blue skin. He jumped into the tunnel and trusted his instincts to help him._

_He embraced the wind and merged with it, feeling himself flying forward faster than any ship or beast._

_But he never found her body._

"My hyper-intuition led me to the exit, not to her," Dragon said regretfully. "If I hadn't been so preoccupied with the fruit, I might have found her in time…if I hadn't made her come with me…"

Zoro looked more closely and saw that there were indeed scars under the red tribal tattoos on Dragon's face. "You brought Luffy and Ace here to help you find your wife, because they're of the D inheritance?"

Dragon merely nodded.

"And since it's for their mother, they couldn't leave."

"Correct."

"And you didn't think we're fucking _cooperate_ so you stole them away?"

"Pirates are not known for being very generous…"

"You're an idiot!" Zoro snarled.

"Zoro!"

"No, let me finish," Zoro growled. "How is having them down there going to be any more helpful? Can't you search by yourself faster than anyone, without having to worry about losing your sons as well?"

"It may be because of my ability that I can't find her," Dragon replied calmly. "I search by making my lower legs into wind and my upper body solid. I may have stumbled over her bones dozens of times but have never felt them because I pass right through them. If she is still alive, then she might conceal herself every time I pass because of the dangers of the wind in the tunnels. With Ace's fire, we have an light source that will not go out."

"And Luffy?"

"He is here…because if his mother is still alive, she would want to see him."

"You're suspiciously sentimental," Zoro said. "Luffy, is what he saying true?"

Luffy nodded morosely. Apparently, hearing about his mother's death again was no party for him.

"He's not lying, Zoro," Luffy said. "It seems like the kind of thing okaasan would have done."

"You were only five when she left, Luffy," Ace snorted.

"But you said that's what she was like!" Luffy protested.

"True. Yeah, she would have done something like this," Ace agreed. "I'm sorry, Pop. I tried sending something via the Den Den Mushi, but they kept intercepting it."

Whitebeard waved it off. "If it's a family matter, that's excusable. What isn't excusable is the manner in which these boys were taken."

"Dragon, you're going to have to face the consequences," Shanks said angrily. "I always knew you were reckless, but this? You could have consulted us."

"I had to make sure everything went smoothly, without the Government getting suspicious," Dragon replied. "Everything has gone according to plan so far."

"Everything?" Zoro asked.

Dragon nodded. "Ivankov, if you will?"

Ivankov nodded as he took charge of the conversation. "You see, ve could have rescued Ace here long before he vas put on the execution blocks. But…ve needed a reason for all the major pirates to come together under one cause and fight as one unit, and a reason for them all to gather with a reason that the Vorld Government vould understand. After that, ve needed a reason for these pirates to then start a mass exodus to escape the consequences of directly fighting the Marines." Zoro felt something tighten in his stomach as he began to see where this was going. "After rescuing Ace, there vas no guarantee that all the pirating crews vould come to the same place, or even to the New Vorld at all. Therefore, we needed to bring Strawhat, who vould bring Red-Hair and the other Supernovas as vell. Now, the reason for all of this?"

"You're building an army," Zoro said in utter disbelief.

"Correct!" Ivankov said with a wide grin.

"We're going to challenge the World Government one last time," Dragon said. "Only the strongest of you would have survived the trip across the ocean. What we're going to do is overthrow this corrupt 'World Government' and reinstate the world's rightful inheritor."

"Who, you?" Zoro laughed darkly. "You don't sound much better than them."

"Well, not just me," Dragon scoffed. "You lived in France, didn't you? You can try to hide it, but you still retain some of their mannerisms and speech inflections. Rude, the lot of them."

"Oh, thanks."

"Anyways, you must know of Napoleon Bonaparte?" [3]

"Of course. He had one of the most extensive controls of Western Europe since Alexander the Great. What of him?"

"You know how people are so focused on the issue of blood relations," Dragon said. "If the great-granddaughter of the Emperor Bonaparte—albeit an illegitimate one, but let's not get into details, his heirs all died—came and demanded her rightful place as a great power, wouldn't there be some support? Or if the great-great-grandsons of the Emperor came and began to conquer states just like in the old days of the French Republic, wouldn't France, one of the pillars of the World Government, be swayed?" Dragon spread his arms. "We are not here simply to rule the world, gentlemen. We are here to shake this rancid world's foundations and establish a new order. Once our goal is accomplished, then to hell with nepotism and bloodlines. My boys will make their way with their skills."

"I told you, I'm going to keep pirating until I find the One Piece," Luffy said sourly.

"Not unless the Whitebeard Pirates find it first," Ace said, sticking his tongue out at Luffy.

"See? They'll make their way in whatever they want," Dragon said. "As long as they're not stuck in the bureaucracies like Garp. That old fool…his era is over."

Zoro was taking this all in, but Robin suddenly stood as it all washed over her.

"Luffy and Ace are related to _Napoleon?"_

---

[1] Since they never mention her first name, I'm just going to pretend that's her only name…like how Sanji and Nami have no last names. She also happens to be French, and I'm going to try and mix that into the plot.

[2] I hate calling them Indians, but that's what they would have been called back then, I guess. No political correctness.

[3] Actually, Zoro, you don't know about Napoleon, because he doesn't pop up for another century. Sorry. Let's use our…imaginations.

A/N: I'm sorry if it may seem a bit far-fetched and ridiculous now, but I just had a rare spurt of omg-writing-rush-getitoutnowshoot. Writing adventure fics is so much harder than writing romantic comedies.

---

Review Replies, because I lost the e-mails.

Redwritingbaron: I'm glad you like it. I will elaborate on Zoro's past once this whole mess is done, I promise.

Paradoxisimminant: Whew, I always worry about chapter lengths. It's good to know that it's satisfactory.

Santoryuu-Zoro: Your review was hilarious. Go back and read it again (it's been so long you might have forgotten what you wrote) and hopefully laugh as much as I did.

Wildskysong: unfortunately, I did take forever. I hope this makes up for it.

Silverlodi: …sigh, sorry for the long wait again.

Ohlordies: you're so cute!!

Lord of murder: haha the revolutionaries and the pirates are going to be quite…well…you'll see.

Three-days-late: haha Ivankov's so lovable, I don't like having him as an enemy.


	53. Author's note

A/N:

Unfortunately, this story has been totally FUCKED UP because I submitted it a week before the whole freaking truth came out.

What. The. Hell.

If you are not aware of the latest OP chapter, 550…things come out that completely contradict what has just happened.

Well, they pretty much just eff up my story.

So, my lovely readers, I present two choices to you:

I will either rewrite the last chapter, according to canon.

I will continue on, on my own little tangent.

Okay so maybe it hasn't been so messed up but, uh, I'd like your feedback.

(Chapter 550 is currently on OneManga)

I know that fanfiction is about making things happen that might normally not happen in the real story but OMG the last chapter was just _epic aaaarrrrgh._

How could I possibly continue a story that contradicts that?

Much love,

Aznillusion183


	54. Family

A/N: BOOM!

Did you hear that?

That's the sound…of canon.

That was lame, wasn't it. Anyways, I'm going to twist it to make it canon—or at least, as canon-ish as I can get—but I'm going to keep the last chapter. Mostly because it would take longer if I redid it, and we couldn't have that, could we? Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I tried replying to everyone but if you didn't get a reply then…it's because you don't have an ID, sigh.

---

"Napoleon was a sly dog, he was," Dragon mused. They were all sitting on the plateau now, the fateful one that had relinquished its treasure to Dragon at such a heavy price. "He wasn't just a simple womanizer on the side…he wanted to make sure that his blood, his strong will, was passed on. Every child he fathered out of wedlock was just another way for him to live on, you see? But enough of that…now that we're here, we can do our job. Ace?"

Ace ignored him for a moment; now that he was standing with Whitebeard, he seemed to have regained his old obstinacy.

"Ace!" Dragon's voice was sharp. "You know that we must do this!"

Ace slapped his hands together with a growl; they burst into flame.

"Good," Dragon said. "Luffy?"

Luffy shrugged as he picked up his Kaizoku Bento and stood. "It won't take long, right?"

"Just think of it as an adventure," Dragon said wearily.

Luffy's morose expression was turned back into his normally cheerful grin. "Okay!"

"Let me go with you," Zoro demanded. "I'm not letting you go off with _him_ again."

"It'll be fiiine," Luffy said. "I'm a D, right?"

"Don't worry, Roronoa," Ivankov said, putting an enormous hand on Zoro's shoulder. "They vill come back before sunset. Vith Ace and Dragon, no harm vill come to him."

Zoro thrust his swords into the ground. "Then I'm going to wait here."

Nami looked at the other Mugiwaras with an expression that clearly said, _What else did you expect?_ They sighed, joining their first mate.

After a moment's hesitation, the other pirates followed suit.

---

"Is he sleeping?" Chopper whispered to Sanji as they sat around a fire made of the brush they had cleared away in a circular formation. "Zoro's been in the same position all day. That can't be comfortable."

Sanji peered at Zoro before chuckling. "No, he's meditating, I think. He looks more relaxed when he's meditating than when he's sleeping—see how his brow is smooth? Hup, I think he can hear us…his brow is crinkling." The ball of dirt suddenly thrown their way indicated that yes, Zoro could hear them.

"Ivankov," Zoro said quietly. "The sun has almost set."

"They still have time," the Revolutionary replied sedately. "I think—yes—can you hear that?"

They could hear the sound of feet stamping and dragging across the ground. In the falling darkness, they could barely make out a blob of motion.

Ace was in front, lighting the way with a glowing fist; Luffy and Dragon were behind.

Between them was a slight figure, supported by the two men.

Silence reigned over the makeshift campsite as the four of them approached. Zoro tilted his head at Luffy slightly, questioning. Luffy nodded.

"Are ve going to take her back…?" Ivankov asked tentatively. Dragon shook his head.

"If any of you have a doctor in your crews, then bring them out," Dragon barked. "She cannot be transported too far at the moment."

Zoro watched as the campsite was suddenly a flurry of activity. Chopper ran back and forth, shrieking for a doctor until Zoro rubbed his head and pointed at him pointedly. Sanji rummaged into his back, bringing forth his cooking pot and a few tools to make what was probably going to be a hearty stew.

"Marimo," Sanji called. "Go out and catch a…just bring whatever meat you can find. Preferably a deer, because we're going to need the liver." Zoro understood that he wasn't being called out for his skill with the blade, but to calm down before asking questions again. Evidently, the cook had noticed that Zoro had needed to meditate to avoid snapping out from the tension. A good hunt would release much of that energy. As he strode off, he heard Sanji telling the others to search for tubers and vegetables for the stew.

Zoro ran through the tall grass, feeling his legs pumping easily over the brush and searching; a few rabbits would do just as well as a deer, and were more likely to live on the plateau. _How could she have lived after nearly two decades in there? Is she really Luffy's mother? How…_ The first bit of motion in the corner of his eye was targeted by his sword; unfortunately, he just barely missed in his distraction. _Focus, Zoro…focus._ An hour later, he returned to camp with a brace of hares over his shoulder. The meat would be tough, but he trusted Sanji's ability to tenderize it. Looking around, he saw that the others had also brought in a variety of ingredients for Sanji to use.

Zoro looked around the calmed group to find his captain sitting by the makeshift tent that had been erected for use by the medical staff. "Luffy?"

Luffy turned around. "Zoro! You're finally back!"

"Oi, it takes time to hunt, you know."

"Mhm…"

"Hmph. How are you? Not hurt?"

Luffy snorted. "'Course not. It was pretty easy, with all three of us."

"Is she your mother?" Luffy nodded. "What happened down there?"

Luffy scratched a mosquito bite on his leg as he thought. "Well, it's really old down there. It smells like Grandpa's socks and dirt." Zoro tried not to cringe at the awful combination that must have been. "But we found her in this side passage where all the traps had been disarmed. It smelled kinda nice, like flowers, you know? She…" He laughed. "I didn't get a good look at her face because when she saw us, she ran. We chased after her, and when we called out her name she looked around like—woah! Really surprised. That's when she tripped and broke her leg."

"…so she was fine until you guys came along…"

Luffy looked down embarrassedly. "Er, yeah."

"Idiots," Zoro laughed as he rubbed his captain's head. "Then she'll be fine?"

"Oh, of course."

They sat in silence, watching the crew as Franky and Usopp worked on a wheelchair (_Where did they get enough wood for that? I don't see a tree in sight,_ Zoro thought) and Sanji consulted Chopper for the correct meal to give Portgas. Finally the call came for

"Dinner!"

There was a mad dash for food as that was called out, but there was plenty to go around. Zoro began to eat from the dish that Robin had passed him, watching as Franky rolled the wheelchair over to the medical tent; they could see someone being helped into the chair through the cloth.

When she was rolled out, Zoro couldn't help but stare.

Despite the fact that she must have been in her forties, she was still lovely. Thick masses of wavy red hair (that were disheveled from her fall and transportation) framed a pale face that bore no signs of malnutrition. Her eyes were an odd shade of hazel and green that surveyed the foreign pirates with curiosity. She looked down at the plate of stew that had been placed on her lap and garnished with a wildflower (by Sanji, of course) with a look of incredulous amusement. She picked a heart-shaped carrot out of the stew and chuckled. Everyone had scrambled to get a bowl, but no one was eating; they were all too busy staring.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Eat!" Her voice was as amused as her expression, and she smiled.

Franky rolled her over to the little circle made by the Mugiwaras near Luffy and Zoro. "Ah, so you are my son…" she said without any sort of transition. Ace walked over and joined them with Dragon; the others gave the circle a wide berth, as though to afford them some sense of privacy. "Judging from the difference in size and—ah—maturity, you are Luffy, and you are Ace?" She pointed to them in turn with the correct names.

"Yep," Luffy nodded. His bowl was already empty and being exchanged via Gomu Gomu with an unsuspecting pirate's.

"Are you really our mother?" Ace asked politely.

She turned to him with a queer look on her face. "Yes, I am…your mother," she said with some hesitation. "Dragon, you've raised these children oddly, I must say. Both Devil Fruit users, I see."

Dragon shrugged. "They obtained them in their own ways. You know that I didn't raise them."

"But I see that they bear a strong will…indeed, they are of the D." Zoro was surprised to see that she spoke of such a heavy subject so casually.

"Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace," Portgas said, rolling the names over her tongue like honey. "Such precious boys…it is good to see them after so many years, even if they did cause this." She gestured to her leg. "But I must say that it might have been my own carelessness as well; there is no excuse for my blatant disregard of that trap in that tunnel."

"How did you survive?" inquired Robin. "Dragon said that only those of the D intuition could live."

Portgas looked at Robin in surprise. "He told you that, did he?"

"Yes, he did."

"Well…" Portgas smiled, revealing a row of strong white teeth in a smile that was fierce rather than dainty. "That is true. Indeed, that is true."

Dragon looked at Portgas questioningly. "I had been meaning to ask you. How did you survive down there? What happened, after the wind tunnel?"

Portgas sipped a bit of the broth in an obvious attempt to delay the conversation. "After I pushed you down, an arrow did indeed strike me," she said. She pointed to her back. "You can't see it, but there's a nasty little scar back there. I did manage to avoid my vitals, but I couldn't move in case it went in further and started to mess with my organs. I heard you storming through the tunnels, but I couldn't call out to you."

"How did you get it out?" Dragon pressed. "I need to know _everything."_

"Tch," she said disapprovingly. "Always so inquisitive, Dragon. I had rolled into a niche when I was struck, and was shielded from the arrows—as well as your sight, unintentionally. Fortunately, the head of the arrow had been worn down by time, and I was able to pull it out without it breaking off or getting stuck." Zoro winced; he knew the feeling of removing an arrow, and it wasn't fun. "I found our packs and lived off of the supplies while the wound healed. Eventually, I made my way back to the entrance, but from the looks of it the group had just recently broken down camp and left. I was down there for a long time, after all. I had no way of getting back by myself—yes, Dragon, even I am not so foolish as to try and sail across the Atlantic alone—so I stayed. I had decided to find this treasure by myself."

"Why did you run from us?" Dragon asked.

Portgas snorted. "One of you was stretching like rubber, another was on fire without screaming in pain, and the last was whipping up a gale with frightful tattoos all over your face. Anyone would flee from a sight like _that._"

Robin and Zoro shared looks; they had reached the same conclusion.

"You're a D, aren't you?" Zoro asked suddenly. "The arrow. You pushed him," he pointed at Dragon, "out of the arrow's path. You knew where it was going, and you knew just how to receive the hit with minimal damage."

"Furthermore," Robin picked up, "You made your way out of there alive, without a light—I'm guessing. Even with a light…you made your way back through all those traps while injured. It's not something a normal person could have done."

Dragon snorted. "Portgas, a D? No woman has ever—"

"Yes, my astute little children," Portgas interrupted Dragon. Her eyes were bright like a madman's. "I am. Perhaps the introduction is too late, but…my name is Portgas D. Rouge, as you Japanese would have me known as. Yes, I can tell you are Japanese," she said in amusement at their astonished looks. "I heard a few of you speaking the language. I cannot speak it well myself, but I did pick up a little on my brief visit to that little clamshell."

"Why did you tell me that your name was only Portgas, and that you lacked a surname because of your heritage?" Dragon demanded. Portgas clucked at him.

"Oh, Dragon…poor, naïve Dragon," she said as she shook her head. "I couldn't have an up and coming Revolutionary knowing a bit of sensitive information like that, could I? You and I were friendly, but I had no way of knowing how long it would last."

"Even after bearing _two of my children?"_ Dragon nearly roared, only keeping his voice down to shield the conversation from Whitebeard's group.

Portgas smiled slightly. "I only had insurance of your loyalty with one of my children, Dragon."

Dragon stared, flabbergasted. Zoro felt a bit sorry for him; as the Revolutionary leader, he must have been unaccustomed to not knowing things.

"W-What?" Dragon had lost all traces of his savagely noble bearing, and instead was simply a man being confronted by an ugly truth.

"When I named my children, I named them very specifically," Portgas said. "When Ace was born, my first child, I had him bear my name. Not because of the reason I told you, but because…"

"You said that it was to protect him from my legacy, from my enemies," Dragon murmured. "You said that being a Portgas would let Ace make his way through the world on his own power, and not by my influence."

"While that may have been part of the reason, that wasn't the whole," Portgas said dismissively. "Why do you think I had Luffy bear your name?"

"Ace…Ace is not my son?" Dragon's voice was quiet and flat.

Portgas shook her head. "Nay, he is not. Luffy is, you can rest assured of that," she said reassuringly. "But the reason I had requested that Ace and Luffy live in Japan with your crackpot of a father Garp and that drunkard friend of yours, Shanks, was for two reasons. One, so they could have some sort of a father figure in their lives. Two, to mask the fact that I had asked that they bear different surnames. It would not be unusual for me to want Luffy to bear Garp's name, would it? He's perfectly respectable, to anyone who has never met him in person."

Dragon was silent. In the flickering firelight, Zoro saw that it was not the silence of a man absorbing information but the silence of a man who had just had the wind knocked out of him by a sledgehammer. _Wow. Sucks, man._

"Who is Ace's father, then?" Nami burst out. Suddenly, everyone was drawn back to that crucial point. "If it's not Dragon, then…?"

Portgas dug her spoon into a wild potato and stuffed the morsel into her mouth. "Mm, my compliments to the chef. This is delicious!"

"Portgas! I mean, Rouge!" Dragon said in a strangled voice. "Who is his father?"

"Whitebeard is my father," Ace muttered rebelliously.

Portgas looked down the curve of her nose at Dragon. "I have not given you permission to call me by that name, Dragon."

"You—!"

"His father's name? I think you all know him very well! He is a legend of the kind that few would even dream of having had a successor!" Portgas threw back her head and laughed proudly. "He could have had anyone in the world, but he chose me to bear his child!" Her voice fell to a hushed whisper that they strained forward to hear.

"The Pirate King…Gol D. Roger." [1]

---

[1] Yeah, like any of you didn't see THAT coming.

A/N: I hope you liked it, I kind of whipped it out more quickly than usual which might have sacrificed a bit of quality...


	55. Domestic problems

A/N: Hello. I wonder if you remember me. It's a bit light-hearted (I'm getting back into the groove) but goes back to the meat of the story in the end.

---

"Dragon."

"…"

"_Dragon."_

Zoro groaned and covered his ears. It had been arranged for Portgas to have her tent next to the Mugiwara encampment because of its close proximity to Chopper so he could care for her, but it was hard to sleep when Dragon insisted on hanging around, not quite going away and not quite staying, either. Apparently, Portgas had grown weary of his hovering as well.

"What are you doing here, Dragon? It's late." Portgas's voice was both inquisitive and sharp.

"Is Ace really…?" Dragon sounded unsure and a little hopeful.

"Do you think I would make such an outlandish claim in front of all those people?" Portgas laughed. "He is."

"You're my _wife_. I cannot _believe_ that you would do something like this!" Dragon's voice rose as he began to speak at a level higher than the hushed tone he had adopted earlier in lieu of the late hour.

"I am not your wife," said Portgas with a hint of anger in her voice. "We have never underdone any sort of ceremony to indicate this. There were no legal papers, no priest, nor any symbolism to show such a relationship."

"Such publicized events would have endangered both of us—"

"A private ceremony would have been enough." Portgas's voice shook unsteadily. "Do you see this?" She pulled out a long, thin chain from under her rough blouse.

"That ring?" Dragon's voice was disdainful. "A mere bit of gold. What do such trinkets have to do with this?"

Portgas rubbed the gold band that hung on the worn chain with her thumb fondly. "He gave this to me, you know. He also said that getting married would be too dangerous, but that he would honor our union in this way…he bent down on one knee—_the Pirate King knelt down for me—_and vowed that I would be the only woman graced with his favor."

"When the hell did you sleep with him, you whore?" Dragon snarled. "I'm tired of your love-drunk infatuation with that flashy fool—"

"You."

Zoro actually heard Dragon gulp and winced. Someone's balls were about to get crushed.

"You would _dare_ to call me—"

Zoro sat up in alarm as Chopper began to convulse, foaming at the mouth.

"—a whore?"

Usopp stiffened with a harsh croak, his eyes wide open and rolled to the back of his head.

"Portgas, calm down—"

"You had the gall, the nerve, to call Roger…"

Robin moaned in her sleep, her brow furrowed as she clutched her head. Zoro looked around in despair, feeling a heavy pressure at his temples.

"…a flashy fool? Dragon, your raw impertinence will not be tolerated."

The last thing that Zoro remembered before blacking out was the sound of Dragon's body falling to the ground.

---

"Zoro? Wake up!"

"Leave it to the marimo to sleep through all of this…"

Zoro sat bolt upright at Sanji's words. "What do you mean, all of this?" He blinked blearily, willing away the impending headache pounding at the base of his skull. "What time is it?"

"Around noon," Nami said as she opened the flap of their tent and pointed to the bright sunlight outside. "You guys, everyone's awake now, but half of those idiots are at the latrines complaining of diarrhea."

"That's nasty," Zoro grumbled. Something, his stomach rumbled. "…crap…"

---

When Zoro came back, rubbing his stomach and wincing at the occasional pang that ran through his bowels, he saw that most of the pirates and Revolutionaries that had been gathered on their grassy camp were either curled up on blankets, shivering, or sitting near makeshift campfires while clutching their sides similarly to how Zoro was. He also noted that all of the Mugiwara pirates seemed to be especially affected; Chopper and Usopp were still down, while the others wore looks of discomfort.

"So…what the hell happened?" Zoro asked as he plopped down next to Luffy, who nodded to him silently.

"Luckily I was keeping watch at the entrance to the plateau," Nami said, "Or none of you would know what hit you."

"I know that I blacked out after Luffy's mom was yelling at Dragon," Zoro said thoughtfully. "Does she have a Devil Fruit or something?"

Nami shook her head. "I talked to her after waking up someone else to take my place. The edges of the camp weren't bothered too much, I think it's because we're in the center of the encampment. Anyways, our crew seems to have been hit the hardest, but we're recovering pretty fast too."

"What _was_ it, though?" Sanji repeated the question, shakily lighting a cigarette. "I woke up this morning and vomited."

"Gross."

"Shut up, marimo. How's that diarrhea going for you?"

"…you shut up."

"Oi!" Nami pinched both their cheeks to restore order. "I think we ought to ask her that. Can someone go fetch her?"

"I'm already here," said Portgas as she rolled through the opening of the tent, while being pushed by a slightly queasy-looking Ace. "Did you have something to ask me?" She smiled sweetly.

Zoro felt a chill run down his back and knew that even though Nami could beat him into submission with a few well-placed punches, that this woman didn't even need her fists to do that.

"Portgas-san, what happened last night?" Robin asked as she sat up, removing the cold towel that Sanji had prepared for her from her forehead.

"I was having a small domestic dispute with my _partner,"_ Portgas said delicately.

"Everyone's as sick as though they've eaten Luffy's cooking," Zoro said. "You did something to Dragon." He paused. "Wait. Where's your dad, Luffy?"

Luffy blinked. "Ace? You seen him?"

Ace shook his head. "Not since dinner last night. Why?"

Zoro looked at Portgas suspiciously, who was looking at him innocently from her wheelchair. _She's bound by that broken leg of hers, and I doubt that she could bury his body without any of us noticing…but we were all unconscious…_ "Where's Dragon, Portgas?"

"That's Portgas-san to you."

"…Portgas…san…"

"That's better," Portgas beamed. "Dragon? I don't know. I can't really say I've seen him since our little squabble last night."

"Did you kill him?" Zoro asked bluntly.

"Zoro! That's inappropriate!" Nami protested.

"Oi, marimo! How dare you?" Sanji's leg was up for a kick, but he suddenly began coughing and leaned against one of the hammocks in pain.

"I heard you arguing," Zoro continued obstinately, refusing to look at Luffy. "I heard what he said."

Portgas continued to smile. "What of it? It's not like I killed him, silly boy."

Zoro stood. "It's clear that I'm not going to get any information from you," he growled. "I'm going to look for him."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Portgas said gently. "Zoro-chan!"

_Zoro…chan?!_

"Puahahaha! Zoro-chan!" Marimo-chan!" Sanji taunted. "How cute!"

"_Kawaii!"_ Usopp joined in weakly; he had just woken up in time to hear this. Chopper chuckled weakly, having woken up as well.

Zoro felt something crack. It was probably his sanity.

"I'm going to kill you, curly brow and longnose!"

"Crap! Sanji, save me!"

"You're on your own, shitty longnose."

---

"Seriously, you're all idiots."

Zoro was curled up in his bunk, morosely sipping the anti-diarrheic tonic that Chopper had prepared; Sanji lay next to him, drinking something that would soothe his own stomach. Usopp was still being treated for bruises and possibly a broken nose by Chopper.

"I mean, really, you guys are in bad enough condition as it is," Nami continued as she watched them in wicked amusement.

Portgas watched them curiously from her wheelchair as Ace and Luffy snoozed against each wheel. "You ought to be careful. I haven't used that attack in a long time, and I was having a little trouble restraining myself."

"So…" Zoro gasped as a spasm of gurgling pain went through his intestines. "What did you do?"

Portgas toyed with a lock of her hair absently. "Ever heard of Haki? I'm sure you have, if you've come this far…"

"I've heard of it, but I've never seen anyone with a haki level high enough to affect _us_," Zoro said. "Even Luffy was affected."

Portgas smiled. "Haki is fueled by the spirit, as you may guess from the name. In turn, your spirit is your fortitude and emotion…anger and fury can result in more power, but less control; it is a destructive power. To really master it, one must be able to use it at its full potential while remaining completely calm and composed. It's not actually all that uncommon to see people using haki, even if the degrees of severity vary from person to person. Imagine if you saw a loved one crushed under a building—you'd feel the energy to lift that building and save your precious person, would you not?"

"Is that from haki?" Chopper asked as he wrapped a bandage around Usopp's nose. "I thought it was adrenaline."

"There are many factors and many examples," Portgas responded. "For example, sometimes people who have been pushed into corners find immeasurable strength within themselves. Have you never felt such a sensation when you were utterly furious, completely animalistic and wild?"

Zoro was silent; the image of seastone cages rose in his mind; of sun-swept deserts and two Shichibukai, a long time ago; a slavery auction; long leopard's claws and Rob Lucci; the pain of loss, and an alcohol-induced attack on those who had killed Kuina.

He knew the power of fury very well.

"Your haki was from Dragon's use of derisive terminology?" Zoro asked in quiet disbelief.

"Yes."

"How could that have produced such a blast?" Zoro demanded.

Portgas looked at Zoro balefully. "Do you think that it was easy for me, when Roger died? He was a magnificent specimen of a man…kind, and strong, and compassionate. When I heard about his death, I felt something die inside of me that was only rekindled when my son was born." She stroked Ace's head lovingly. "He resembles his father so strongly…perhaps I overreacted a little, but what I did has already been done."

"How do we treat it?" Chopper asked weakly as he pulled himself from his bed and went to inspect the others. "I want to know how to treat the source, not the symptoms."

Portgas shrugged. "The symptoms should fade within the day."

"How do you know?" Chopper asked curiously.

Portgas shrugged noncommittally. "I don't. The last time this happened, that particular person, ah, died."

Usopp let a thin whine go through his throat. "I'm going to _die?"_

"No," Portgas said gently. "You'll most likely just suffer for a few more hours if you've already made it this far."

Zoro suddenly felt a chill go down his back.

_That particular person died._

"Luffy." Dragon came into the tent supported on a pair of makeshift crutches. "Does your doctor have any cures for excessive bowel movement?" He bore a black eye under the tattoos on his face, and one leg looked sprained.

_Well, there goes my 'Luffy's mom killed Dragon' theory,_ Zoro thought in slight amusement.

"Hello, Dragon." Porgas smiled again, this time with her teeth showing very clearly. "How are you feeling? You dropped to the ground last night with the most alarming alacrity, and I must apologize. I accidentally ran over you in my haste to help you."

"So that's why his ankle is sprained…" Zoro muttered under his breath.

"Our departure is delayed," Dragon said as he settled down on an empty hammock, wincing. "Redhair Shanks has departed after last night's fiasco, as have most of the other pirates. We have arranged to meet in Ireland—one of Shanks's favorite and safest havens is there. Whitebeard's crew is the only one left, save for my Revolutionaries. I have been meeting with the other leaders all morning to ensure that everything is arranged."

"You've been in meetings all morning?" Zoro asked at the same time that Robin asked, "When will we congregate?"

Dragon nodded to both of them. "Yes, I have been in meetings for most of the day. We will meet on one of the holiest days of the year."

"Ramadan?" Luffy asked as he woke up, a small line of drool dribbling down his chest.

"No, Luffy. How did you even hear about Ramadan?" Dragon asked in exasperation.

"These guys wearing these cool hats in Egypt who were talking about it," Luffy said chattily as he wiped his drool off on Portgas's blanket (she didn't seem to mind).

"Well…close enough," Dragon sighed. "Christmas. The celebration for the birth of Jesus Christ."

"I don't think Christmas is all that holy anymore," Zoro mused. "Ash Wednesday might be more appropriate."

"Hush, you confused Eurasian," Dragon snapped. "It's going to be _Christmas_ because we're going to present the Continent with a nice little _gift,_ if you understand what I mean."

"Nope."

"No idea."

A small tic was beginning to form over one of Dragon's eyes. "Stop fooling around," he said, breathing in deeply. "We're actually going to meet a week before Christmas, because that's when the most traffic will be going in and out of the ports so it'll be easier to mingle."

"Whitebeard's, like, a foot taller than the average person. I don't think he'll mingle well," Franky said observationally.

Dragon continued as though he hadn't heard. "We will meet a week prior to Christmas and use the next seven days to organize our assault on the English capital. The World Government is based in London, as I'm sure you have all found out, and once we seize the capital then we will have seized their main crux of power."

"Why England?" Zoro asked. "If they're related to Napoleon, wouldn't taking France first be more prudent?"

"Not to be rude," Dragon said delicately, "But taking France? Your peak of power was in Napoleon's actual reign. Now your country is just a morass of revolution and chaos."

"Oi, _Japan_ is my country."

"Anyways, the United Kingdom is a major recognized world power. Once they have been subdued, then the other nations will realize that we cannot be stopped. The plan is that once every phase of the plan has been completed, then Ace will represent the West while Luffy will stand for the East. I, of course, will be advising them from behind the scenes."

Zoro looked around and saw that the other Mugiwara pirates were disconcerted by this planning of their captain's future. After all, wasn't Luffy their Head? It had been a long time since that title had been switched with 'captain,' but they all called him that in their hearts. Even he had learned to adopt both subconsciously. Zoro couldn't imagine calling Luffy anything but captain or Head; seeing Luffy as a dictator was just unnatural.

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that," Zoro said quietly, cueing from the others as Luffy's first mate, his right hand man.

"Dragon-san, do you truly believe that Luffy could handle such a task? He is not incompetent, but that hardly seems to be his specialty," Robin added.

"Sounds like he'll be a figurehead." Sanji tapped a cigarette between two fingers; Chopper had forbidden him from smoking while Portgas was around. "It's not quite right, really."

"I want to go back home with him," Chopper said softly, fiddling with a cotton swab between his hands. "I thought when he was Pirate King, we could go back home after adventuring."

"He cannot settle down," Dragon said. "Even if he never makes it to Pirate King, he cannot escape international law. Luffy is a pirate, after all…that doesn't mean he can't establish his base in Japan, of course. It's entirely possible for him to declare Japan as the capital of his new empire."

"How do we conquer everyone? There's going to be a lot of bloodshed, and it's not practical to think that we can," Nami said.

"We can," Dragon said confidently. "A mixture of authority and power will pull us through, I guarantee you. I have seen it many times, in many countries…oftentimes, those who are fed up with their conditions can overthrow a whole country, despite disparities in size or power. If you have the will to do it, then it will be done."

"But we don't," Usopp said bluntly. He looked around, as if in confirmation. "We don't want Luffy to be trapped running a country when all we wanted was adventure."

Zoro remembered how excited everyone had been when they had left Japan; he had always imagined, in the back of his mind, that they would return in such a spectacular way. He didn't want his last visit home to be with a horde behind him.

"Your loyalty is such that you will follow him to the ends of the earth?" Dragon's lip was curled up unpleasantly—in a perversion of a smile.

There was no need for words; they merely nodded.

"Then leave the decision up to Luffy."

Everyone turned to look at Luffy, who was staring back at them with an expression that was both serious and naïve.

"Nani?"


End file.
